Hunx And His Punx
Camp Basement, London
08/04/2010

The Fly spends a lot of time wailing with joy, mind boggled by seriously brilliant Male Bonding riffs these days. So it’s nice to be able to take a break from the intense tears and indulge ourselves in hilarious fun and hi-jinx with new music too. Lady Gaga allows us this, of course, as do Hunx And His Punx; an outrageously camp and eye-catching five-piece from California with a penchant for thongs and leopard print.

Debut album ‘Gay Singles’ (boasting an admittedly pretty eww-some front cover with the singer in his pants) has been constantly in our ears since its release in February proving that Hunx aka ex-Gravy Train!!! man Seth Bogart is far from just a Har Mar-esque joke. He’s funny and ever-so-crude, yes, but the music is clever – referencing everything from John Waters to The Ramones and 60s girl groups – and perhaps most importantly it’s insanely catchy too.

So as Hunx and his lady Punkettes take to the stage in skin-tight leotards and their trademark cat whiskers make-up at new venue Camp Basement for one of their first ever UK dates, we’re expecting an out-of-the-ordinary performance. And we’re not disappointed. They gutsily attack each track from ‘Gay Singles’, songs like ‘Cruisin’, ‘Gimmie Gimmie Back Your Love’, ‘Good Kisser’ and ‘U Don’t Like Rock n Roll’ all proving undeniable highlights, with lines like “You like Morrissey, you like U2/ What the fuck is wrong with you?” proving popular with the adoring kids in attendance tonight.

And it’s refreshingly different not to mention hugely important politically (in a non boring way, mind) to hear songs about boy on boy action in a rock ‘n’ roll environment. Hunx is on charmingly disgraceful form, as ever; skulking around the stage in a fur hat and not much else and teasing and flirting with people of all persuasions in the front row. Let’s just say there’s lots of crotch to face goings-on and much stroking of hair. In fact he even makes a bee-line for The Fly at one point (we’ve ended up crammed down the front with the dancing devotees) but thankfully a well-placed monitor gets in the way. Phew.

Physical contact studiously avoided (we’re shy you know), The Fly leaves beaming and sweaty after tonight’s utterly blissful performance. It’s the Hunx effect.

Camilla Pia