Wendy James’ crew return for their first UK tour in over three decades!
Of all the reunions to have taken place of late, Transvision Vamp’s was surely among the most unexpected. It’s been a whopping 34 years since the band originally split up, but now they’re back, with the promise to play “every single Transvision Vamp song you ever wanted to hear live!”. Well, that’s certainly good enough not only for us, but for a good 2000-odd other London folks; if the Shepherds Bush Empire isn’t sold out tonight, then it’s very close indeed.
If openers Yee Loi are at all nervous about playing on a larger stage than usual, they don’t show it at all. Quite the opposite, in fact; from the moment the Liverpool trio launch into opener ‘Dad’s Money’, they put the pedal to the metal and don’t let up for the whole of their joyous half-hour set. They may well be sick of Ramones comparisons by now, but like Joey (RIP) and his brothers, this lot are tight as hell; witness drummer/vocalist Matilda keeping the beat whilst hitting every note and guitarist Rose bouncing around maniacally whilst unleashing all manner of fretboard-scorching licks.
And as for younger brother Donny on bass? Let’s just say that Dee Dee (also RIP) would be proud of his heads-down, legs-akimbo stance and sense of gritty determination. Turbocharged covers of Elvis’ ‘Mystery Train’ and the MC5’s ‘Rambling Rose’ are merely icing on a delicious cake of their own material, and the increasingly loud cheers from the crowd say it all. You’ll be hearing more about Yee Loi very soon – and not just from us.
How on earth to follow that? Transvision Vamp are clearly at ease, though; that much is obvious from frontwoman Wendy James’ reminiscing to us about the band’s late 80s heyday, and giving a shoutout to original bassist Dave Parsons who is with her on this run. Given that the band seem to have maintained a large cult following over the years, the vibe is – at times – more like a very large gathering of friends than a gig. It’s something of a double-edged sword, though; whereas first time round they incited rabid devotion wherever they went, they now elicit a kind of cosy affection, with a sense of nostalgia in place of a sense of excitement and danger.
It’s hard to argue with songs of this quality, though, and as they kick off with ‘Trash City’, they sound pretty damn good. It would be unfair to expect them to move like they did back in the day, but they’re clearly enjoying themselves up there, and the highlights come thick and fast. Be it the shimmering synths of ‘Sister Moon’, the evergreen ‘I Want Your Love’ or a spirited romp through debut single ‘Revolution Baby’, you’d be forgiven for thinking the band had never actually parted ways, such is the musical connection they seem to share.
Of course, they play ‘Baby I Don’t Care’ to close out the set; it sees the band truly catch fire, and whips up the loudest sing-along of the night. They return for a brief encore, finishing with the slow-burning ‘Velveteen’ and depart, surely secure in the knowledge that they’ve done more than enough to remind us why we’ve missed them all these years. A step back in time, for sure, but done in style. Welcome back, folks!
Main Photo Credit: RUTH RAE (phone photo as pro cameras were not allowed!)
Yee Loi Photos: RUTH RAE
(Please contact me for additional & hi-res originals)
Transvision Vamp Photos: ANDREW MOORE
All Videos: RUTH RAE
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