Cherie Currie certainly set The Underworld alight. She has done it all and lived to tell the tale, A rock ‘n’ roll queen with enough attitude to flip Axl Rose behind the curtain. You can read our report here. But the evening also included Loz Campbell and Blue Ruin, and both acts would prove most important for an exciting night’s entertainment.
Loz Campbell – Blue Ruin
The Underworld, Camden – 27 March 2023
Words: Monty Sewell
Photography: Antonio Giannattasio
Loz Campbell
Opening for tonight is a rockstar on the rise Loz Campbell. This northern native lass is a tour de force of high reckoning energy with songs to die for against the backdrop of a fearless band giving a hand to the emboldening poignance of the music.
Having recently returned from her own headlining UK tour and festival slots, the guitarist-vocalist is on a roll that doesn’t seem to be slowing down. With respectful symbolism, she kicks things off with the first track released, Evil.
Chopping into the well-streamed hit Back Biting The Bullet before the brand new song Coffee Cup from the new EP, Campbell rips into every solo and husky drawl lyric line with fist-pumping intent. As we delve into personal favourite Beautiful Liar, the crowd draws forward as the band takes us in with every bass chug, guitar face off and tom drum pound.
Finishing with Generic Girl and The World Was Made To Destroy You, we were left wondering not if but when Loz Campbell will be taking to those main stage slots.
Blue Ruin
Main support act Blue Ruin, hailing from New Zealand, claim the Bubblegum Punx title with a flick of a smile and the stomp of a heavy booted foot.
The quartet have just released their sophomore album, Hooligans Happy Hour, after becoming a staple piece within the international Punx scene.
Taken from the new album we get the title track, Undead Nightmare, Sing To Me, Dracula (Out to Play), These Things and Sarah Killed Her Boyfriend.
Even if we weren’t on the back of their record release, it would be impossible not to put these tracks in the setlist, with each more catchy than the last.
Flipping between the heavier, hardcore numbers and those pop punk-tinged slayers, the band stand on their own as something fresh and exciting. Gruffly clean vocals and inescapable vivacity.
Currie chose well.
