The hurricane twists and howls as the Kansas farmgirl cowers with her little dog, Toto. It’s a moment of dramatic transformation, as the grey everyday world is torn asunder and we are lifted far away to the magical kingdom of Oz. It makes a good backdrop for a loud rock ‘n’ roll band to come onstage to.
Precisely why Brighton duo Blood Red Shoes have The Wizard of Oz playing on screens behind them during their performance remains a mystery. This is hardly a new “soundtrack” for the eternal classic, in a vein once mooted by all those Dark Side Of The Moon rumours. Perhaps they just had a copy of the DVD lying around the tour bus and thought it would be kind of fun and slightly more iconic than, say, Transformers 2. The only time they even acknowledge its background presence is when guitarist Laura Mary-Carter asks if we’re enjoying it. “It’s my favourite film”, she mutters, looking almost annoyed at having to share that information with us.
They make a curious couple. Mary-Carter mauls her guitar strings in frenzied bloodlust while keeping her head down, barely making eye contact from under her fringe. Drummer and co-vocalist Steven Ansell, on the other hand, is an exuberantly drunk puppy at his kit, demanding the audience get closer to the stage, make some noise, violently dance etc. He is damned determined to make us have a good time, quite the opposite of Laura’s steely persona.
They’re here to promote second album, Fire Like This, and musically are very much in an “alt-indie” Sonic-Youth-Meets-The-Pixies default setting. Mary-Carter channels the insouciant spirit of Kims Gordon and Deal while Ansell is the doofy jock who just wants to rock, but in a slightly alternative way. They sure go for it, though, battering through an hour of clattery noise-rock plus a final, seemingly impromptu, encore.
Highlight of the evening definitely comes early on, as the Oompaloompas on screen are seen to seemingly lipsync to “I Wish I Was Someone Better”, a strangely emotional moment. But we never see the end of the film. Blood Red Shoes are gone after their fully-charged tumble down the yellow brick road and poor Dorothy is left trying to save Toto from the snatches of those hideous flying monkeys.