GINA BIRCH @ LONDON

The former Raincoats bass player released her second studio album, ‘Trouble’, celebrating with a live set where she performed for the first time from half of the track list as well as signing the record for fans. She performed with her band the Unreasonables, formed of multi-instrumentalists Jenny Green and Marie Merlet.

The hip percussive beat of ‘Don’t Fight Your Friends’ began the set followed by the transient jangle trance of ‘Happiness’, then awoken by the clattering beats of Birch’s single ‘Causing Trouble’, featuring some post-punk guitar, but generally played more chaotically than on the record, ending in the band shouting out the names of famous feminist troublemakers.

Birch’s other single, the reggae tinged funk song ‘Doom Monger’, was also performed with her swapping guitar for bass and improvising more ingenious rash vocals, although she said she struggled to sing and play simultaneously. Solo artist Helen McCookerybook, who guests on the release, came on stage to sing backing vocals for some songs including opening album track, ‘I Thought I’d Live Forever’, a song about getting older which saw the band choral singing on what is mostly a vocally built album. The albeit ageing auntie of feminist punk rock is admirably still creating catchy new tunes for the current times and the continued fight for women’s liberation.

16/07/25: Gina Birch @ London.