She Drew the Gun at Omeara for NME Awards Shows 2018

She Drew the Gun kicked off our Friday night wonderfully, performing as a headliner for the NME Award shows at London’s Omeara. The Liverpool band, who signed to Skeleton Key Records back in 2015, haven’t ceased to impress, producing powerful songs. The evening opened with supporting act Big Joanie – a great all-black feminist punk act who must be checked out – and the venue was on fire.

Between multicoloured lights and smoke, lead singer Louisa Roach was hiding under a hood-like unicorn cap, revealing hints of pink hair and strong black eyeliner. She bewitched the audience as soon as she sang with a soothing voice, accompanied by her iconic white guitar and Jack Turner playing bass, Sian Monaghan on drums and Jenni Kickhefer on the keys.

The psych-pop four-piece delighted both with old and new tunes from their albums Memories of the Future and Memories of Another Future. Sweet Harmony, their brand new single, was among the first songs on the setlist, inviting listeners to “come together” to create a better world. Towards the end, there was an incredible saxophone solo that seduced the audience, while Roach delivered something like a “futuristic manifesto” in a deeper, firm tone. It was an authentic epic moment, resembling the scene of a movie about the protests of the 70s over the war, as old radio news was mixed in the background.

Omeara’s rustic settings and the projections behind the band members were essential to create the aura for the group’s psychedelic music, giving a sense of mystery throughout the performance. Pit Pony heated the floor as the crowd danced in unison, while Poem made us reflect and think about our society.

She Drew the Gun’s lyrics are profound and political. Roach is more than a musician, she is a storyteller. She praises poems about human despair, love, loss and anger and frustration over the injustices of the world. Yet her songs can be warm and touching, reaching deep into the heart.

To round up, she sang Thank You, a terrific track that honours great women in music like Patti Smith and Nina Simone. Although the show seemed to have come to an end, the crowd cheered for an encore. “Am I allowed to sing one more? Fuck yeah! I will do it anyway,” said Roach, as she began No Hole in My Head Tonight, giving us an explosive final act.

Ella Navarro
Photos: Guifré de Peray

For further information and future events visit the She Drew the Gun website here.

Watch the video for Poem here: