Siouxsie at Shepherd's Bush Empire

Last night was the long awaited Siouxsie gig at Shepherd's Bush, with us seated upstairs, of course. We got there early to get good seats with a great view of the stage. And we waited as it gradually filled up.

First on was Blood Red Shoes, a two-piece band I first saw supporting Maximo Park last year, enjoyed their set and started tracking down their music. Laura-Mary on guitar and Steven on drums, trading vocals between them which is a nice touch and keeps it fresh. They make an awful lot of noise for two people, so it goes without saying that I like 'em!

They were at the front of the stage since Siouxsie's bands' kit was set up, and this meant that the lights were largely behind them so I didn't get any good photos of the Shoes in action but the sound was excellent. They played a couple of my favourites, 'You Bring Me Down' (the recent single) and closed with 'I Wish I Was Someone Better'. I merrily sang along to both. The set wasn't very long but it was great to see them again (I'm tempted to go to the students union gig now). Their first album is out in four weeks time so that's something to look forward to.

More people started arriving and who should be sitting in the wings a few yards away but Morrissey... The interval music was an odd mix but lots of early Bowie and T.Rex. And then the lights dimmed...

On strode the band and a goddess dressed in gold topped off with a mane of black hair, and the audience began to worship as 'They Follow You' opened the set. Siouxsie was on top form and seemed to have a ball on stage. Her voice was powerful and better than the last time I saw her, looking lithe and fit in her golden catsuit, arms flying everywhere, legs kicking in the air, hopping round the stage and giving us a show to remember. And the band were great too, tight and hitting it just right.

The emphasis was on the new songs from 'Mantaray' (of course) but she sprinkled the set with some oldies. When introducing 'Hong Kong Garden' she said that it was the song's 30th anniversary this year. 'Hong Kong Garden' (punk song and her first single that I bought back in the day) was the start of a nice trilogy, followed by 'Right Now' (her first hit with The Creatures) and followed by 'Nightshift' (the Banshees goth classic). She salsa'd all over the stage to 'Sea Of Tranquility' and created a hive of insect activity with 'Drone Zone', conjouring up an image of bees swarming the stage. She also sang 'Heaven And Alchemy', one of my favourites from 'Mantaray' that she didn't sing at either of the two gigs last year, so that was a treat. And finished the set with a magnificent version of 'Into A Swan', arms entwining and creating images of swans on stage as the industrial magic of that music soured and swept us up in the rebirth that is Siouxsie. I loved it!

And then we went into encore heaven with 'Israel' and 'Arabian Knights' (clap clap clap more more more) followed by a return to the stage for 'These Boots Are Made For Walking' (o yes!) and a stonking version of 'Kish Kash' (clap clap clap more more more) and then a final return with 'Spellbound'. Phew!

I'm so pleased I saw Siouxsie again, it was a great gig and she was on top form. And I'm proud of her. She was in great voice, looked good, a tight band, and a great show. I was thinking, during 'These Boots', that if she ever went into cabaret she'd be a flop. She'd do radical interpretations of the classics, turn the bass up far too high and have the volume set at 11. And I'd pay to see her flop like that! Siouxsie was there at the birth of punk and she's still there at heart. Nothing's safe and nothing's sacred. She's an icon, a role model and a great hero. I'll remember the golden goddess from last night for a long time. Now, when's the next album...?