Credit: Gemma Bell
“Rub. Rub. Rub. Rub. Bitch rub.” The first words we were treated to when Peaches took to the stage, in none other than a bright pink furry Yeti suit. Adorned atop her head is a giant vulva just like a crown. There we go, she set the tone, and it doesn’t get any milder throughout the next hour of her performance – brilliant!
The ‘crown’ is appropriate, seeing as she is essentially the queen of smut. The electro pop punk princess, with a general fuck you attitude to society, sex and the human body. The Yeti costume is stripped off, and she exclaims “London, this song is about my huge vagina!”. Peaches is left wearing nothing but a skin coloured thong, and a chest piece that’s made up of multiple breasts. Joining her on stage are her two dancers, also wearing next to nothing, aside from two even bigger vulva head-dresses for the song, ‘Vaginoplasty’.
Credit: Gemma Bell
How is this all going down you think? Like an absolute storm! The crowd is as diverse as the multitude of costume changes. Everyone’s here from all age groups, and sexual preferences to bow down to their queen.
The hip-hop style bass rattles you to your very core, and even her rapping elements are just as flawless as her higher vocal range, which is more apparent on the softer tracks such as “Light in Places”. Her 50th birthday is coming up this week, and she is clearly showing no sign of missing the mark.
For ‘Free Drink’ the dancers draped in net, and enrobed in a red light, pose and move in a foreboding manner. Peaches’ voice is down tuned, and she spits the poem out with nothing but malice and hate. With lyrics, like “I can’t fucking stand liars” and “Your brain is clammed up chowder”… This track being the most out of place on her latest album, Rub. I was unsure how this would translate in a live setting,
but it is performed with such vigour, that it actually splits the set surprisingly well; almost like a really mean interlude.
Credit: Gemma Bell
Following on from this, we arrive at a personal favourite, ‘Dick in the Air’. With none other than an 11 metre long inflatable transparent phallus, which extends out over the crowd like a giant empty erect condom. Peaches climbs into it, scrambling over the crowd, reaching the tip just in time for “who’s jizz is this”… shooting something suspect from the end, out on to the unlucky crowd. Everyone sings “Dick. Dick. Dick” in unison. Apparently, they don’t care – it’s amazing!
The setlist focuses heavily on the latest album, Rub, but of course, she finishes up with old favourite ‘Fuck the Pain Away’. Spraying champagne across the front row, and simulating an orgy with her trusty dancers.
Fifteen years ago when Peaches burst onto the scene, you could’ve said that this type of performance was not for the faint hearted, but I feel this crowd would’ve walked away disappointed if it was anything less.
Leaving the venue while chuckling to myself about what I’ve just seen, a group of people exclaim it’s the best gig they’ve been to in a long time – I completely agree with them!
