Blood Red Shoes
Electric Ballroom, London   
07/10/2010

Tonight is a big night for Blood Red Shoes, “This is the biggest show we’ve ever played,” chimes drummer Stephen Ansell from behind his battle-damaged kit. Playing to a large - but not quite sold out – crowd in London, the two piece from Brighton have stepped up to the bigger venues with a suitably muscular live show that still retains the duo’s sharp, biting punk energy.

Opening with ‘It’s Getting Boring By The Sea’, the next hour and a quarter sees Blood Red Shoes switch between the short and snappy songs they made a name with and the newer, more nasty, free-wheeling and bold tracks they have matured into on this year’s hugely underrated second album ‘Fire Like This’. Of the newer material it is the likes of ‘Light It Up’ and ‘Don’t Ask’ that see the front rows burst into life; circling and fist-pumping in time with the brash riffs and juggernaught choruses. The big sounds suit the duo and the step up seems to have come naturally. Admittedly some of the energy has been traded off for this new sound but at times it is staggering that just two people and their instruments are making the wall of sound bursting out of the Electric Ballroom’s speakers.

Of course, the duo’s early songs still remain a brilliant sugar rush including self-hate anthem ‘I Wish I Was Someone Better’ and the appropriately named ‘ADHD’. Acting as a welcome reminder of what an exciting band Blood Red Shoes were in their infancy, the scatter-gun riffs and punk energy with a pop twist is summed up perfectly with a riotous rendition of ‘You Bring Me Down’ which sees the crowd in raptures.

The final third of the show does lag in parts, possibly a sign that a shorter set would have suited the band (and fans better) but a hits packed set will surely come with time. Having recently spoken of a desire to move away from the lighter, chorus heavy sounds of old, Blood Red Shoes end the show mirroring their audience’s smiles and performing one of their rawest and most unique songs. As the seven minutes plus of ‘Colours Fade’ ring out, the sweaty crowd leave safe in the rare knowledge that the band enjoyed this show just as much as they did.

David Renshaw