I didn’t know much about Le Butcherettes (in spite of the fact they have been going since 2007) before the gig at the Underworld in Camden, London. Perhaps I can be forgiven for my lack of familiarity given that the band hail from Guadalajara, Mexico.
Upon arrival, the venue had the band’s name in lights above the entrance – the way all bands like to picture themselves in their rock star fantasies. It was packed by the time we made our way past the bar and into the crowd. Missing Dirty White Fever and DOLLS, Pearl Harts were ruling the stage – whipping up the crowd with their Deap Valley-like heavy rock riffs, thunderous drums and head banging moves. They seemed to be generating quite a hefty sound for a duo and using loop pedals, to the point where the singer/guitarist started sipping nonchalantly on a can of beer whilst the guitar played on without her. Unless they were channelling Nirvana on Top of the Pops where they refused to mime in a believable way? Their set came to an end in a rush of applause.
Teri Gender Bender combines the drama of Kate Bush with aggressiveness and defiance of a punk artist, whilst playing insanely complex guitar riffs and playing/attacking a keyboard that sounds like an organ. She headbangs with fury, blinded by strands of hair, swathing around, playing on regardless of her stamping gymnastic physical performance. It would fill a stadium, yet I am down the front headbanging at the small packed out Camden Underworld and occasionally making eye contact with this exceptional feral beauty, a mass of streams of long brown hair, plenty of which is stuck to he
r face with sweat. Her arms and shoulders are clad in a red sequined cape that’s attached at both wrists. She evokes the image of a matador, a superhero and a new wave film character: she is dressed in red from top to toe, including red tights and at her furthermost extremity, red pointy high heel vintage shoes from the Eighties that have seen better days and certainly better nights, given the beating she puts them through with her stamping physical theatrical set.
Her vocals range from trilling calls similar to tribal belly dancers or Native American battle cries as shown in films, to beautiful powerful graceful singing and outright riot grrrl screams in both English and Spanish.
Between songs, she talks in both languages. I believe that in Spanish, Teri Gender Bender has just briefly mentioned that her mother is an alcoholic – although a chat with Teri herself after the show, her description of her mother is a whole lot more favourable; alcoholism is only ever one aspect of a person after all. The term Drama Queen is all to often applied to women who are expressing legitimate emotions. I do think Teri Gender Bender should be crowned with the title on the grounds of her being the actual Queen of onstage drama. I’ve never seen anything like it. The music is captivating, electrifying and original.
The moshpit doesn’t stop for the duration of the set. Cameras flash constantly, trying to capture the moments on stage every five seconds, including ominous dramatic sudden pauses in movement: a photographer’s dream. Songs played on guitar with her original riff style, and songs played on the organ style synth make up their set. It makes for a varied show and unique musical style. The bassist and drummer are similarly clothed in red outfits, presenting a united front. The drummer’s style is tom-tom heavy, with animalistic percussion the perfect accompaniment to Teri’s unpredictable intense and beautiful vocals. The bassist keeps the whole thing together throughout.
The whole building is rocking in a way that I haven’t experienced in a long time. I’d started to think people didn’t even do that anymore. Never have I seen a performer so possessed and yet in control, whilst simultaneously singing and playing some of the most original and inspiring music I have heard in a long time.
Kat Kon illustration based on original photography by Robin Laananen
