Justin Bond & The Freudian Slippers

Had a very enjoyable evening at The Reindeer seeing Justin Bond & The Freudian Slippers which is Justin's solo show when he's not playing Kiki in Kiki & Herb. This is the third time I've seen his solo show and he was, again, excellent. The choice of songs, the chat between (and during) songs and his personality just gel to make for a most enjoyable event.

First of all, up to the Retro with Chris to meet Dawn and then off to wander round Aldgate East and Brick Lane to find the Old Truman's Brewery that houses The Reindeer to be joined by Toby. Then into the auditorium to be seated at a table and find that Boy George and his chums then come in to sit at the next table. I don't think I would've noticed it was him if not for the smudged eye make-up that made me look twice.

Then on came Justin in a sparkly, sequinned tunic, along with pianist, cellist and flautist, and he launches into the set. It's difficult to describe what he does, sort of jazz cabaret in sound with sexual politics up-front. Whatever it is, it works for me. He sang some Bambi Lake songs (including the magnificant 'Golden Age Of Hustlers') and a variety of songs by a wide range of people (I loved his take on 'Lady Grinning Soul'), talked about his relationship with a female to male transgender boyfriend and his cat, and generally told stories about the more riske parts of his life.

He did an excellent version of Kate Bush's 'King Of The Mountain' that finished up with some lines from Buffy Sainte-Marie's 'Not The Loving Kind' that I failed to recognise (to my everlasting shame) but then he name-checked Buffy by saying something like 'Wouldn't it be interesting to have Buffy Sainte-Marie in the same room as Kate Bush...'. I gawped at that point. He finished with a song from 'Shortbus', or at least I assume it's from 'Shortbus', me being one of the few people I know who hasn't yet seen it.

After the show Justin made the rounds of the tables in the bar to chat and be nice to the punters and, once he'd finished kissing Dawn, I asked about Buffy and that's when he said he'd sung a couple of lines from 'Not The Loving Kind'. I (naturally) showed him the photo of Buffy and me from last year that is my wallpaper on my phone (unfortunately I was wearing the same shirt as in the photo). He said he'd seen Melanie in concert last year. I then asked when he was recording a CD of the show material and he said he might do one next year. I think he should. The material works so well with his voice and presence. I'd buy a copy.

I've just Googled for a photo to add to this blog and what turns up as the fifth photo? A certain Dawn Right Nasty hugging Mr Bond... so here it is.