CoS tOur DIarY

CoS tOur DIarY

Chicks on Speed blog at MySpace
photos by code crasher (a.k.a. melissa)

12 december 2006
by Kiki:

Kiki DJing in Kiev, Ukraine, 9 December 2006

30 november 2006
by Kiki:
Kiki DJ sets
9.dec 2006 Kiev, Kiaf party
www.partysalonagency.com

22.dec.06 Dublin, Clawdaddy club
12.jan 2007 Berlin, Maria "female pressure"night
http://www.myspace.com/moorse

27 november 2006
by Alex:
Lilly Allen on NME Cool list
2 november 2006
by Alex:
riot girl exhibition -- emp, seattle
web-based, very great expo, check it out!
23 september 2006
Girl Monster @ MySpace. Including a CoS track 'Plastic Surgery'.
22 september 2006
CoS newsletter 22 september 2006
28 august 2006
CoS MySpace page has a new song called, erm, 'My Space'.
16 august 2006
CoS newsletter 160806
31 july 2006
by Alex:
The Observer's 50 albums that changed music
27 july 2006

***
CHIX in Flex Your Textiles at JCP (New York City), opening July 28th, 6-8pm
Flex Your Textiles
July 28 - July 30 2006
**opening July 28th, 6-8pm
July 29th, 1-6pm
July 30th, 1-6pm

Flex Your Textiles
Is a coming out.
With both historically humble and ornate, masterful style, we are re-invigorating textile traditions and creating our own.
What is your process?
What are your techniques?
How do you map your desire in sequins?
What do you do with your menstrual blood, ropes, cast-off fabric, dyes, napkins, and felt when you are alone.
What rhythms do you create with your crochet?
Whose ghost is being evoked?
What ancient weaving tradition is having a revival in your kitchen studio?
Flex Your Textiles happened for the first time in a vacant apartment in Williamsburg in the Spring of 2006. This weekend exhibit at John Connelly Presents is the second offering put forth by Travis Boyer and Ginger Brooks Takahashi.
Flex Your Textiles includes the work of the following artists:
>> Antony
>> Matteah Baim
>> Ronnie Bass
>> Jay Battle
>> Bianca Beck
>> Chris Bogia
>> Susie Brandt
>> Nancy Brooks Brody
>> AK Burns
>> Ann Burton
>> Sarah Cain
>> Michael Capotosto
>> Donnie Cervantes
>> Lea Cetera
>> Lynne Chan
>> Chicks on Speed feat. Johnny Dogday, Kathi Glas, Kai Knappe, Melissa Logan, Kiki Moorse, Alex Murray-Leslie, Adi Nachman, A.L. Steiner
>> Leidy Churchman
>> Diana Dart
>> Jocelyn Davis
>> Davina Drummond
>> Keltie Ferris
>> Discoteca Flaming Star
>> Rhis Gaitano
>> Liz Glyn
>> K8 Hardy
>> Ryan Harman
>> Arlo Hoffman
>> Onya Hogan Finlay
>> Donna Huanca
>> Einat Inver
>> Paul Kopkau
>> Samara Kupferberg
>> Michael Magnan
>> Clar Mapes
>> Morse McWreath
>> Hazel Meyer
>> James Morrison
>> Ulrike Mueller
>> Will Munro
>> Jeanine Oleson
>> Aurora Pellizzi
>> Sheila Pepe
>> Michael Powers
>> Pat Reese
>> Emily Roysdon
>> Matt Savitsky
>> Sarah Saltzman
>> Savior Scraps
>> Jen Smith
>> Kant Smith
>> Shinique Smith
>> The Third Leg
>> Abby Walton
>> Kristine Woods
>> Andrea Zittel
***There will be performances on the opening night, July 28th, 6-8 pm by Edie Fake & Dewayne Sleightweight and Will Munro.
Edie Fake and Dewayne Slightweight invite you to join a forest, a chorus of thrift and drift, a treasure of error and wonder, an adventure down into the deep and dirty magical feminist now.
Combining xylophone tones and bones and beats and musical beards, along with the videographical transmissions of the spectral figures of onion kings and weeper-leapers, this is the mix that we feast on, and so you will feast on us. Let's make what happens, friends, and spread Radical Happiness.
***Saturday July 29th, 1-6 pm, we will host the Pon-a-thon, a participatory craft action open to the public.
***Sunday July 30th, 1-6 pm, a radical quilting bee will also take place at the gallery. All are welcome to join.
John Connelly Presents
625 West 27th Street Ground Floor, NY, NY 10001 - 212 337 9563
24 july 2006
by Alex:
Images of our talk in Barcelona at The Influencers @ CCCB.
20 july 2006

CoS @ MoMA, 24 June 2006:
lonnehendrix's photos of this event @ Flickr

"... seeing Chicks on Speed perform at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Effervescent, capricious and blessed with a Marx Sisters lunacy, the Chicks reminded me that some three decades had in fact passed since I first wrote about Women In Rock, back when a chick with a guitar was as noteworthy as quintuplets. (They hadn't yet invented IVF.)
The Chicks channelled the girly musicians I used to write about and sometimes also jam with, like The Slits, The Raincoats and Delta 5. Wearing a frothy skirt of multicoloured netting and what looked like rather painful black duct tape on her nipples, one Chick launched a programmed beat that seemed oddly familiar. Right before the vocals came in, I realised it was a speedier, electro take on Delta 5's agreeably stroppy vintage single, 'Mind Your Own Business'. Despite the shift in groove, Chicks on Speed stayed faithful to the original's insistent assurance. The expression had changed; but the rebel girl stance remained. It hit me like a drumroll that the change wasn't just in the drum pattern, but in our lives.
Chicks on Speed owned the stage with an assurance that also comes from knowing that, freaky and free as they are, their business operation is sound and functions independently. Their gig is viable. Most of the 70s/80s 'typical girls', including The Slits, Lora Logic and X-Ray Spex, were always marginalised as volatile novelties by the record industry.
While they played, the Chicks screened footage of themselves and friends cavorting naked on a rooftop, with the impish insouciance of a Dick Lester-era Beatles flick. Even in today's quite prudish New York, no MoMA guard came rushing to pull the plug. It was art, after all, and also an elated pagan, pan-sexual Bacchante frenzy flickering behind a giant sculpture by Rodin. At a moment when when pole dancers, strippers and hoes in general dominate so much hiphop discourse, without controlling the conversation, it was refreshing to see females get naked because they want to, filming themselves and controlling the use of their work. Definitely different from the reaction I got from my editor at Melody Maker when I rushed into his office in 1979 waving the first Slits album, Cut, with its sleeve of the trio naked and daubed in mud, and begged him to let me review it. The editor looked at the sleeve, blanched and gagged. "But they're so fat!" he finally exclaimed of the three regular-to-slender young women. "How could they do it?" Although they only got to make one more album, The Slits had clearly pressed a button marked ESCAPE -- and 30 years on, the door had swung open for Chicks on Speed. Their different drums marked a flightpath."
- Vivien Goldman, The Wire, August 2006.

(Vivien Goldman's 1981 single 'Launderette', produced by John Lydon, will be reissued shortly, with new remixes, on Chicks on Speed Records. Her book The Book of Exodus: The Making and Meaning of Bob Marley's Album of the Century is published in August 2006 by Aurum Press.)
by Alex:
Yes, Vivien Goldman's amazing!
I have to tell her how great and pointed her article is, only she could have expressed it this accurate and historical way!
I am so impressed and honoured.
PS. You know she is a lecturer at NYU on Punk now?!
23 june 2006
CoS newsletter 23 june 2006
20 june 2006
PopRally presents:
A UNIQUE EVENING WITH DOUGLAS GORDON FEAT. CHICKS ON SPEED
SAT, JUNE 24, 2006 / 8:00 PM-10:30 PM, MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, 11 West 53 Street New York, New York 10019
8:00 p.m. Cocktails and private viewing of Douglas Gordon: Timeline
9:15 p.m. Musical performance by Chicks On Speed, in collaboration with Douglas Gordon and other surprise guests
Party until 10:30 p.m. in MoMA's Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden
DOUGLAS GORDON: TIMELINE
Scottish artist Douglas Gordon addresses the familiarity and popularity of moving pictures by manipulating, reframing, and superimposing them to alter viewers' perceptions. This retrospective of Gordon's work presents thirteen significant works by the artist, including 24 Hour Psycho (1993), Between Darkness and Light (After William Blake) (1997), and Play Dead; Real Time (2003). By forcing new encounters with the familiar and confrontations with the willfully forgotten, Gordon exposes the distance between our dimmed, distorted memories and, perhaps, the truth -- emphatically demonstrating that what he sculpts is not only media but time itself.
CHICKS ON SPEED formed in 1997 after the members met at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich. The group, Alex Murray-Leslie (Sydney), Melissa Logan (New York) and Kiki Moorse (Munich), started as an art project that has gradually merged with the medium of music.
CHICKS ON SPEED URGE YOU TO COME OVERDRESSED TO THIS "LIVING SCULPTURE" WHERE THEY WILL PERFORM THEIR NEW EUROTRASH HIT SINGLE "ART RULES" FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
Ticket sales are limited and will not be sold at the door.
Purchase tickets @ http://www.ticketweb.com/user?region=nyc&query=schedule&venue=poprally or visit the MoMA Information Desk M, W, Th, F, Sat, Sun 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Cost: $10 in advance. A limited number of tickets will be sold on the day of the event at the MoMA Information Desk for $15.
PopRally would like to thank The Tribeca Grand Hotel for their generous support of this event.
PopRally is a new program of events at MoMA and P.S.1 created for young New Yorkers. PopRally features musical acts, performances, film screenings, receptions, and special viewings of exhibitions at moderate prices.

At MoMA, Douglas Gordon: The Hourglass Contortionist
Douglas Gordon: Timeline
19 june 2006
by Melissa:
that's so sweet that wikipedia people don't find the cos entry neutral... I mean stupid from them but sweet from pHinnWeb [who saved that CoS entry to this page].
am here in old hamburg preping for moma show, we are getting back to theatrical elements & arty stuffion out set, like we started to do 7 years ago & got sidetracked by pop.
outside football fans are yelling around cause spain won.
18 june 2006
by Alex:

yes, we now explore more and more op art and love bridget riley!
:)
16 june 2006

Belgian Popline presents the Designers against Aids collection
On Wednesday June 21st from 8 PM, Designers against Aids and Belgian Popline present the launch party of a new series of t-shirts and matching condom boxes designed by Robert Smith (The Cure), Bernhard Willhelm, The Cardigans, Chicks on Speed, Faithless, Lunaman, Miss Kittin, Hooverphonic, Peaches, Scissor Sisters and Vive la Fęte. These t-shirts and condom boxes will be for sale on all the major pop festivals in Belgium this summer, such as Rock Werchter (where we also present a special condom), Pukkelpop, Dour and I Love Techno.
The party will take place in legendary club Café d'Anvers, where you can enjoy a catwalk presentation of the new t-shirts and condom boxes, watch interviews with celebrities, see music videos and dance to DJ-sets by Merdan Taplak, DJ Tito and Alex Murray-Leslie from Chicks on Speed.

Chicks for Designers Against AIDS T-shirt number 2!
12 june 2006
by Alex:
1
CHICKS ON SPEED PHYSICALLY VIOLATED BY SECURITY PROMOTERS AND SPONSORS AT A FESTIVAL IN SOUTHERN SPAIN
Dear Everyone,
We wanted to let you all know, we had one of the worst experiences of our 10 year musical career on Saturday night, we were physically violated and dragged off stage by security, Ortiz Padillo Promoters and commercial sponsors at Oxigena Festival, near Córdoba, in Southern Spain. We were denied our right to perform at the festival as contracted and our fees were not honoured. It was clear that the public attendance of the festival was extremely low and the promoters wouldn't allow us to play for this reason, so they could claim insurance on the premise, of a cancelled headlining act. The promoters and sponsors falsely claimed that "the band is late" as we entered the stage at 1.25am, 5 minutes prior to the planned stage time of 1.30am as contracted.
Photo documentation has been taken away from us, our camera was smashed and memory card stolen.
We want to expose these criminal acts and the organisations responsible for abusing and robbing artists through their business practices and the unethical networks of festivals and concert promoters. It's clearly a case of abuse against women, destruction of personal property, breach of contract and assault.
We're pretty freaked out & scared by what we experienced. It would be really good to have your support in any way, the organizers were trying to make quick cash from the festival. Look out for scammers that are abusing musicians and swindling young people looking to have a fun evening.
KEEP MUSIC ABOUT ART & CULTURE & A WILD FUN TIME TO BE TOGETHER & NOT A MEANS FOR HORRIBLE MEN TO MAKE PILES OF MONEY.
2
Oxigena festival, La Rambla, Córdoba, Spain, 10 June 2006.
Chicks on Speed were physically violated and dragged off stage whilst trying to perform their live show, by numerous brutal security personnel, because the festival organiser had made a deal with his corrupt insurance "friend" to collect "no show" insurance, on the grounds of us supposedly appearing late for the show.
Our rider and contract stated a showtime of 1h30 am, we were side of stage at exactly 1.25 am.
There was a crowd of ca. 200 people (who had all paid 25-35 euro entrance) gathered front of stage as soon as we started the intro song and video projection. We got on stage and began the show. After two minutes, the power was cut. We didn't want to disappoint these people and stayed on stage, starting a very unplugged, acapella show. The crowd was chanting and rioting against what was going on and wondering why there was no sound. We all tried to explain to the front row that we wanted to do the show, but the promoters wouldn't let us perform (difficult, because the mics had been taken away). We continued to protest and sing with the audience, hoping that someone would turn on the sound, until shockingly, we were forcefully dragged off stage by around twelve male security guards.
New York artist and CoS collaborator AL Steiner was with us on stage as part of the performance: her camera was smashed and her memory card stolen (including proof the violence against Chicks on Speed).
We are now doing our best to expose these people: THEY MUST BE STOPPED! Our booking agency Primary Talent is taking the promoters to court but we must stop this kind of abuse of artists from ever happening again!
3
by Kiki @ her MySpace blog
And the same in Spanish (with little translation assistance from Pablo):
Qué ocurrió de verdad.
Oxigena Festival, La Rambla, Córdoba, Espańa, 10. junio 2006.
1 Se nos denegó el pago de actuación.
2 La Empresa de seguridad (Protexman?) nos expulsó del escenario por la fuerza y a empujones.
3 La cámara de nuestra colega (AL Steiner) que estaba documentado la situación fue dańada y la tarjeta de la memoria fue robada por la empresa de seguridad.
Aunque sólo vinieran 400 visitantes hubo un número desproporcionado en el personal de seguridad (Protexman?). Para esto existe una razón: el representante de la agencia de seguros aconsejó al organizador del festival cancelar la actuación para poder abonar la póliza del seguro. Es necesario dejarlo claro para el público que no conoce la información detrás del escenario: NO SE TRATA DEL DINERO QUE EL ORGANIZADOR SE AHORRA ANULANDO EL CONCIERTO DE C.O.S., SINO DE DINERO QUE GANA A TRAVÉS DEL SEGURO HACIENDO CULPABLE A C.O.S. POR SU SUPUESTO RETRASO. Este seguro se llama "No Show Insurance": es un seguro en caso de que el artista no se presente a la cita. En este caso injustamente el organizador el dinero del público, del seguro, y por si fuera poco, se ahorra el dinero de la actuación.
Según lo acordado entre el festival y nuestra agencia de conciertos, la actuación comenzaba a la 1:30h de la noche. Este horario no se hizo público la tarde del festival y se mantuvo al público desinformado. A las 12:50h encendimos la proyección de vídeo para atraer al público. A las 1:30h estábamos en la entrada del escenario pero los organizadores nos denegaron la actuación. Unas 200 personas comenzaron a llamar a C.O.S. Aún así, ya sabiendo que el festival no iba a pagar la actuación, subimos al escenario y comenzamos a cantar sin micrófono; los organizadores habian desconectado la electricidad y la luz. En ese momento traté desde el escenario de explicar al público más cercano la situación durante unos 20 min. Cuando los vigilantes se dieron cuenta me arrastraron fuera del escenarui así como al resto de los miembros del grupo.
Nos encerraron fuera del escenario y nos prohibieron desmontar el equipo musical. Nos trataron como a criminales y lo único que queriamos es dar un concierto fijado por contrato.
See at YouTube:
Chicks on Speed try to explain the crowd why they aren't allowed to perform
Soon after this Chicks on Speed are forcibly dragged off stage by security
Screen shots:

and read this, some strange fuckers are writing stuff there?!
maybe you can defend us!
:/ sad chix
The account of this incident @ Blunderpop blog

"Stop the abuse of women"
26 may 2006
by Alex:
check this out!
Begin forwarded message:

> From Soul Jazz website:
The legendary ESG return with a new single and album and a tour of Europe, Japan and the UK. The single "Insane" is released 29 May and the album "Keep On Moving" is released on Soul Jazz Records in July.
> Tour dates are:
> May 26: FRANCE-Lyon - Nuits Sonores Festival.
> May 28: FR-Paris - Fondation Cartier,
> May 31: PORTUGAL -Porto - Casa Da Musica,
> June 1st: PORTUGAL-Lisbon – Lux,
> June 2nd: SPAIN-Barcelona - Primavera Sound Festival.
> June 4th: Reykjavík Trópík 2006 - Reykjavik, Iceland
> July 12: Unit, Tokyo
> July 13: Unit, Tokyo
> July 14: Unit, Tokyo
> July 16: Noon, Osaka
> UK Tour follows in September
> _______________________________________________
> TypicalGirls mailing list
> TypicalGirls@lists.ibiblio.org

http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/typicalgirls

25 may 2006
CoS newsletter 250506
3 may 2006
by Melissa:
GiRl mOnsTeR in HH
chicks on speed present:
Elle Banditta, 1st show in Hamburg.
MAY 4, doors open 21:00 show 22:00
fleetstreet, adminiralitätsstr.71 HH
wild 20 year(old?) is coming with some friends & her flying v guitar.
we chicks are setting up a large amp and....
and... well, you better come to see what happens.
16 april 2006
by Melissa:
happy easter, hope all is cool.
rainy & gray here in hamburg, sid is away with the grandparents & I'm trying to get some sketches made for session next with planningtorock. we are recording a few songs with her.
take care.
5 april 2006
by Alex:
we made these dolls to be auctioned for charity, The Blythe charity project. Hope you like them?

[click for larger images]

---
ALEX djing--)SNOW BOARDING EVENT: Total Fight masters of freestyle06
IT WAS AMAZING TO DJ IN FRONT OF ALL THESE KIDS! snow boarders!! great fun! A lot off the kids came on stage! and jumped around!
I rocked the house! ;)
xxalex
27 march 2006
by Alex:
GIRL MONSTER RADIO IS UP!
http://radiobcn.com/alacarta/programas/girlmonster.mp3
there will be an archive of all Girl Monster shows, (just one right now!! 1 more each month...)
The show will go live to air once a month! on scannerfm.com or 97.7 fm in Barcelona.
if anyone wants to contribute to GIRL MONSTER RADIO, eg: new rmx's or to air interview, give me a shout!
enjoy!
26 march 2006
code crasher's cos photos
14 march 2006
'Glamour Girl' video on YouTube
more CoS videos at YouTube
10 march 2006
cos newsletter 10 march 2006
8 march 2006
by Alex:
photos from fan in copenhagen -> chicks on speed gig
7 march 2006
by Alex:
CHECK THIS BAND!!! THE PIPETTES
www.myspace.com/thepipettes
very nice, the beginning of a new era!
wow, exciting things to come!
polkadots foreva!
6 march 2006
by Melissa:
alex just got a super audio recorder.
you know we will be in oslo tomorrow?
too bad we won't be in finland, we haven't played there in ages!

hay, here we are in aarhus backstage.
4 march 2006
by Alex:
wow, myspace really is great! puts you in direct contact! i am now a fan!
read all the lovely messages about last night's show!

Bright Idea: [Post a Bulletin to all your friends. Post Bulletin.] From: glamour girl
Date: Mar 3, 2006 5:45 PM
Flag spam/abuse. [ ? ]
Subject: oh my god, you girls rule Body:
drear chixs.
so i just got home from your koncert at loppen in copenhagen, and i simply had to write this straight away. this evening have been so fucking amazing, it feels like it can't be real. first off all your girls where so so so so great. best gig i've ever been too. but then when alex, called my name out on her speaker, that was the freaking fucking most amazing thing that ever happend to me. one thing was too se you play, that was all i had ever dreamed off, but then to talk to you and you actually knowing who i am, that is just to surreal. oh my god, i stil can't belive it. i know i might sound really lame right know, but you girls are such a big influence in my life, you girls are like my idols, I adore you. you are so fantastic,. thank you so much for this moment i will keep it forever. you rock, you rule. you are the coolest and nicest peopel ever.
thank you, thank you, thank you, for this evening. and hope that you will visit copenhagen again soon.<3<3
with all the love in the world. glamourgirl, amalie.
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: claude
Date: Mar 3, 2006 5:44 PM

hey chicks on speed.. i just got home from one of the best gigs og my life! no kidding, you rocked my world tonight!!! everything was so living and impulsive. i'm SO satisfied, and i think i might have told you several times at loppen, haha. what really kicked ass was when you called "glamour girl" up on stage and told everyone that you've been writing with her over myspace. she's one of my best friends and i can't even explain hov much that means to her! i'm sure she'll remember that for a very very long time. i think you've got a pretty good impression of what the danish sub culture is like, after playing tonight. i heard everyone saying, while leaving the venue, that your show was one of the most dope things EVER! and i'm telling you that it means alot to people who have been listening to your music, and respected you for your oppinions about feminism and art, for a long time. well i guess what i would like to say is just.. thank you once again for a wonderfull and truly magical show tonight. and thank you for making such beautiful music.
x claudia

Bright Idea: [Add cool people to your Favorites. View Favorites.]
From: Ribka aka FREDDY KRUEGER!

Date: Mar 4, 2006 2:04 AM
Flag spam/abuse. [ ? ]
Subject: WOW
Body:
yesterday i was actually watching you stading in front of me! yeah copenhagen, loppen! aaah i couldnt believe it when i saw you come in the room you lit it up as soon as you stepped on stage! i don't think you know how inspired i am by you!? in so many ways! just to dare my self! step out and do my art and photograpy! and that's just by listening to your music! i think i got to say very shortly to you guys that you were inspirational yesterday! but i wanted to say it again! it was really one of THE BEST concerts i have ever been to in my short periode of living life! shit! i can't belive i was up on stage singing your tunes, screaming in the mic. and dancing! but it was not only that at all! it was the whole god damn atmosphere! happy people everywhere and your stage presence was amazing, so was your whole show!
i just wanted you to know how greatfull i am that you exist in my world! and how deeply inspired i am by your work and music! and you are truly admired by me...
ribka x
signe mathielde

Date: Mar 4, 2006 1:40 AM
Flag spam/abuse. [ ? ]
Subject: RE: RE: <3
Body:
ok, girls. YOU ROCKED LAST NIGHT. goddanmit, you were amazing. i love love love you.
thanks for giving me the best night ever.
all the best, signe mathielde

28 february 2006
by Alex:
read this!! hummer music and money!!
kleenex also said no!!!
21 february 2006
cos newsletter 21 february 2006
10 february 2006
cos newsletter 10 february 2006
5 february 2006
by Alex:
check us out! -> a review @ http://www.inmusic.nl/.

check these out!
amazing or?
their record should be finished soon!
29 january 2006
by Alex:
Check out our latest show in Den Haag!
review translation below and pics at connected site!
Begin forwarded message:

From: Francey
Hello everyone!
Find attached a review on the most important music website of last Friday's show. Comes with some nice pictures (I'll be getting the entire series in hi-res soon) - it's in Dutch, but I thought it was worth an attempt-to-translation (done quick, so might contain strange grammar here and there ;)
Originally posted here, with clickable photos.

WELL PACKED PAARD ENJOYS KID GINSENG AND CHICKS ON SPEED
The La La Land-organised show with Kid Ginseng and Chicks on Speed with DJ's Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of Tom Tom Club was a huge success. It was so crowded, the organisation and venue opened the first balcony just before the Chicks came on stage. A succesful experiment, that proves that there is room in the Paard van Troje for alternative music. The concert took place on friday January 27.
Any cultural venue needs to have a stable financial base. Sometimes, this means the programming is not always very exciting. The many dance nights in Paard van Troje are the result of this: only the revenue of the dance nights make it possible to book certain bands and acts. But even then, commercial arguments are important to decide wether a band is booked or not. Luckily, a new phenomenon raised: third parties organising events in such venues, renting it, and carrying all financial risks themselves. A concept that may work very well, as Frank and Tracey of record store La La Land in the Nieuwstraat proved.
When Kid Ginseng comes on stage, the main hall is pretty crowded already. Even in the front, which is nice for an artists, as looking at your audience at 10 meters from the stage is not exactly stimulating. Kid puts all his energy in his performance. He builds music and sounds with tapes and a turntable to support is electropunk singing. Once he's happy with the sound he created, he comes from behind his equipment, microphone in his hand, and shouts his lyrics into the hall, while dancing and moving around.
The audience has to get into it - this kind of music is not well known to most people and doesn't always sound very accesible. He is totally different than all those average electropop bands. But soon there is appreciation for Kid's electropunk and he gets a lot of applause after every song. Some people apparantly already heard or bought his CD, as during the last song, Dalmation Found Dead, some are singing - or shouting - along with it.
A satisfied Kid leaves the stage. He performed in front of open minded ears. Half an hour later, Chicks on Speed enter the stage. You can see that Alex Murray-Leslie, Melissa Logan and Kiki Moorse met each other at the art academy in Munich and were more into painting and fashion design than music at first. They look extremely extreme with their handmade clothes, painted faces, exciting boots and bizarre hairdoes.
It's all part of the act, and the audience almost eats the three women alive, although Alex sometimes comes to the edge of the stage and at one point even goes into the audience. A lot of girls in the audience were obviously inspired by the trio and dressed up beautifully in extreme and self-made clothing in bright colours. The Chicks sing 'We don't play guitars', and that's not necessary indeed. Melissa plays saxophone and the women use a lot of tools and a yellow megaphone during their act. They also use several electronic instruments.
That Chicks on Speed had a breakthrough in the Netherlands, proves the enthousiastic response to their most well-knowns songs: Mind your own Business, Fashion Rules, Wordy Rappinghood and 99 Cents for example. A Chicks on Speed show is more than just three women who yell and sing some songs. It's a total-experience to watch and listen to. Each song comes with accompanying images projected on big screen behind the stage and the three women keep moving all the time. Their mimics are memorable as well.
At the end of the show, during the encore, a few art and fashion students come on stage, reading books. Local singer/songwriter Eva plays a little bit on her piano. Then 15 more students, all dancing and looking like aspirant Chicks, come on stage for the grand finale. An energetic and fabulous fashion show with students who show the creations they designed and made together with Alex, Melissa and Kiki during a workshop on 25th and 26 of january. You can see from the happy faces of both the students and the Chicks that the workshop was a huge success. Then, Chris Frantz takes over and the crowd keeps dancing. Let's hope La La Land will organize many more special nights like this in Paard van Troje.

13 january 2006
by Alex:
interesting article.
10 january 2006
by Alex:
this is the link to the chicks on speed t-shirt made for the DESIGNERS AGAINST AIDS PROJECT.

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