Skip to main contentIf crowd-surfing happens, it's in venues where leather coats are pierced with studs and plastic-looking hair can be a dangerous weapon. But Beth Ditto showed a too-hip Saturday-night crowd at the Nocturnal that surfing isn't dead.
Turning her back to the pulsing mass, the Gossip lead woman made a fainting motion and fell into the anticipating hands of adoring fans. With her mike still on and in hand, the Arkansas native proceeded to belt out another fine tune in her warped Southern accent.
The Gossip were honoring their local fans before heading off for a North American tour. A full house showed up to see the great trio so laid-back and unconcerned with status as to have fun while still taking their music seriously. Their excitement was evident as the energy spills over the stage ledge and infected anyone in earshot, including me.
Fans pressed firmly against the stage, having no power over their bodies, gave themselves over to the movements of the throng. The trio kept us in a constant sweat, melting our hearts and waking us up to throaty vocals and a sound that resonated and carried with it the heat of Arkansas. Hot enough that Beth Ditto removed her top. The mimicking topless grew in numbers, feeling the warmth from Beth's granny bra trickle down.
She torqued gospel to sound more lusty than pure and when guitarist Brace Paine and drummer Kathy Mendonca chimed in, it became a kind of music that was not categorized by genres but catalyzed by its ability to move us.
And the crowd was in the mood to be moved after a good two hours of opening acts. IMA Robot leadman Alex Ebert's crude, shirtless posturing, in particular, elicited both cheers and catcalls. Of course, the only thing he triggered in me was my gag reflex.
Luckily, the Gossip were waiting in their silver rock-star bus ready to make mascara drip with sweat and hair fall out of place.
WWeek 2015