X-ray Spex Live @ The Roundhouse

My world turned day-glo on 6 September 2008 when I finally saw Poly Styrene and X-ray Spex at The Roundhouse and heard her sing all those wonderful songs from yesteryear. The live CD and DVD is finally available so, obviously, I had to grab it at the first opportunity and watched the DVD this evening.

As soon as I heard those magical words, 'Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard, but I think Oh bondage! Up yours!' I was transported back in time and a big grin spread over my face as Poly appeared in black frock, shocking pink scarf around her waist and a sparkly beret and, like me, she couldn't stop grinning. She looks like she's having fun up there on the Roundhouse stage, a sold-out audience pogoing in front of her and all of us worshipping her from near and afar.

I still remember the audience for that gig, all sorts of people from freaks and wierdos to straights, all ages and all there for one purpose, to see Poly. It felt good. We were happy people.

The set is nicely packaged in a hard-backed book format with two discs on the inside covers, the CD and DVD, with the middle of the package given over to a 24 page glossy booklet of Poly's diary of the '70s and lyrics to all the songs played at the gig. It's a package to be treasured and it will be. There aren't any extras, but this will be a DVD to put on when I need to smile and bounce round the room a bit. The same for the live CD with its excellent sound and new Spex song, 'Bloody War' with the chorus of 'We've had enough man of bloody war!' with full on guitars and sax from 1978.

The DVD is a great record of the event at The Roundhouse - no fancy light shows or anything, just great music and a real legend on stage giving us her all. People like Poly should be treasured.

I, of course, needed the CD/DVD package as soon as I got back from Paris so picked it up yesterday from HMV on Oxford Street where it was labeled as an 'import' at a cost of £17. That seems to be a total rip-off considering the label is based 2 miles away from Oxford Street and, as far as I know, the package is only available in this country. I'm disgusted at HMV for that pricing policy which, indirectly, says, 'don't buy me', particularly at a time when record shops need to maintain its clientelle. As far as this is concerned I say sod HMV since Poly won't see much of that price, and buy it from Future Noise for £10.99 since I suspect Poly earns more that way. It's a great CD/DVD and released in time for Christmas - I know what people will be getting from me!