More about: Jockstrap

On tours with Black Country, New Road, Georgia Ellery is usually hidden alongside her other bandmates, caressing her violin. But tonight at Heaven, Ellery is a sultry siren, serenading moshpits with her girlish, celestial voice. Alongside producer Taylor Skye, Jockstrap gave London an enthralling performance that proved why the duo is one of the most delightfully weird pop duos today. 

Critically-acclaimed album I Love You, Jennifer B is simply made for the stage. The bass rattles your throat on the fragile ‘What’s It All About’, and the hip-hop influenced drop in ‘Concrete Over Water’ hits even harder live. In the album, the distortions are surprising, but muffled by the restraints of audio mixing. Live, Skye unleashes havoc onto Heaven, and all the glitching gleefully undercuts the genuineness in Ellery’s voice. 

Ellery is captivating to watch; dressed in a glitzy mermaid-style gown and a long braid, she sways and poses to the live cameraman projecting her face to the screen. We’re watching a video vixen live, and the result is spectacular. There’s a certain mystique to Ellery’s live performance that isn’t totally captured in the studio recording; she knows exactly how to move without trying too hard or overdoing it. 

Songs tend to blend and blur with each other, melting into genre anarchy that combines trap, breakbeats, coke-riddled piano house and Ellery’s earnest singing. The setlist ricochets from crowd pleaser ‘Greatest Hits’ to the incredible ‘Debra’, all performed with careless, unfeigned freedom. Neither of the pair are too pretentious about their stage presence; they get on, have as much of a party as they can, and dash. It all culminates in a fluid DJ set towards the end, where ‘50/50’ saw some incredibly riotous moments and strobe lights. 

Jockstrap always sets you up for a sonic narrative and shoots it down the next second. Tonight cemented a discography full of surprises, sincerity, and most importantly, fun. 

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: Jockstrap