The Dum Dum Girls at Scala

The song selection an artist chooses before the headlining band take the stage may give a clue as to the type of show that is in store for the audience. Sometimes this is definitely the case as a playlist builds anticipation for the upcoming set, and sometimes it is just filler for what is to come. One song on the opening playlist sticks out even before the girls appear: Beach of Diamonds by Pure, a relatively unknown stylish rock band with a very distinctive style.

The first strikingly noticeable thing when entering the King’s Cross classic is the presentation of the illuminating venue. It is easy to see that the stage is a key feature in conveying the band’s stylish image as a florescent blue love heart takes centre stage and bright flowers are taped to each microphone stand, creating a distinctively bright feminine effect. When The Dum Dum Girls do finally appear onstage, a few minutes late,a wave of jaws hit the floor as Dee Dee in particular is dressed to kill, in an extremely revealing and flattering dress that draws the attention of many eyes.

The set opens to a relatively slow start as the band attempt to convey the slightly gloomy ambience of their style in a Cure-like manner. It seems the liveliest people at the start of the set are the jostling photographers as they frantically get as many snaps of the stunning girls as they can. Crowd interaction is kept to a bare minimum as the free-flowing lingering instrumentals replace any kind of crowd chat, keeping the almost eerie tone of the gig alive.

The audience excitement picks up as the set gets in full swing: favourites like Bedroom Eyes and Too True are performed in a dazzling fashion. Although the sound throughout the set is aesthetically pleasing, the drive of the band definitely comes from the drummer Sandy – a predominant force who drives the intensity forward. Female acts like Haim and Florence and the Machine may well be dominating the alternative airwaves but this doesn’t mean The Dum Dum Girls have to settle for scraps; if their live show is anything to go by they have a bright future ahead of them.

Keir Smith
Photos: Erol Birsen

For further information and future events visit The Dum Dum Girls’ website here.

Watch the video for Bedroom Eyes here: