Live Review – Sheer Mag – London King’s Cross Lafayette, 11/08/24
A deviant rock triumph from the Philadelphians
Where does one even start trying to describe Sheer Mag? The Americans are an indie band with a fierce punk rock ethos, but they’ll happily employ a bit of 80s metal riffing, 70s AOR chorus action or the glittering post punk disco of Blondie when the need arises. There is a whole lot of stuff going on in there.
What could not be clearer, however, is that Sheer Mag are on the rise. After a series of self-released EPs and tireless touring in the US gained them an enviable cult reputation, they finally emerged from DIY subsistence and signed with Jack White’s Third Man Records. That, in turn, has brought not only a new album – Playing Favorites, their third, out at the start of this year – and snazzy reissues of the first two albums and an LP of EPs but also the chance to tour Europe.
While their sell out London show on a sweltering night in King’s Cross is not Oasis-revival sized, their appearance at the thankfully well air conditioned basement venue Louisiana caused just as much fevered anticipation among those in the know. Theirs is the welcome of heroes too, from the moment they open the set with the slippery but catchy ‘Playing Favorites’ onwards.
Their singer Tina Halladay is an obvious ace in their pack, an electrifying presence on stage and a voice with all the power of a hurricane, but laced with tender vulnerability at the same time. She hilariously regales the audience with her British culture discoveries – Gogglebox and a Sunday roast in the Toby Carvery, primarily – and sweatily headbangs her way through their perfectly proportioned 12-song selection.
Along with that opener, recent single ‘Moonstruck’ is a clear highlight of the first half, tinged with a touch of country but also an edge of almost Grace Jones-like reggae funk. Proceedings heavy up bit by bit, guitarist and lyricist Matt Palmer chucking out the snazziest licks and fancy fretboard boards but never veering into indulgence, thanks to the ultra tight arrangements.
‘Nobody’s Baby ‘ with its chorus of “I’m nobody’s baby/I’m nobody’s girl” is another standout, and a great example of the Sheer Mag subversion – the radical wolf in the sheep’s clothing of macho mainstream rock. They close with the absolutely irresistible ‘Turn It Up’ and rightly return for a quick encore of ‘What You Want’ and ‘Fan The Flames’, begging the question “what happened to the fantastic ‘All Lined Up’?” But as quibbles go, this is as minor as they come – not to mention a reason, as if one were needed, to go back for a return portion soon.
How to describe Sheer Mag? Sheer brilliance is pretty close to the mark.
Ben Willmott