Thursday 04/11/04 Pink Grease, Performance, Kamera @ Camden Barfly, London

It’s easy to feel underdressed at a Pink Grease gig, the fanbase alone is a sparkly lot, and when the exuberant Sheffield lads themselves came bouncing on, the Barfly was instantly awash with glittery eyeshadow (not just mine, incidentally).

Here we have a visually arresting bunch who make a lot of noise, mainly funky, occassionally so loud it’s tricky to pick out any discernable melody. Still, they boast a strong classic rock sound tinged with electrofunk, accompanied by much shouting and strutting from Warhol-esque frontman Rory Lewarne (who is, for the record, very proud of his pecs) .Insane afro-sporting guitarist Steven Santacruz is a strong presence, championing riffs that Zeppelin would be proud of, and occassionally bursting into falsetto warbling. But not only did the huge sound of their raw rock and roll seem too big for the Barfly, they physically seemed to have a job cramming themselves on to the stage, each needing adequate space around them for arm-windmilling purposes and the like. But the fact that all that intense energy had been squeezed into one small space made for all the more excitement as far as the crowd was concerned.

Ably supported by brilliantly inventive Stockholm artrockers Kamera (tight trousers and a faraway look in the eye - possibly linked) and intriguing electro-punk outfit Performance, Pink Grease have an explosive presence and a dangerous sexual undercurrent bristling away, which makes for a compelling show. Although their sound may be nothing new, they are infinitely watchable and entertaining, and the excitement of their audience is a testimony to the wild and irresistible force that is Pink Grease.