Make no mistake this is the Beth Ditto show, centre of attention, all eyes on that raw, unfiltered, explosive bundle of joy from Arkansas with a golden voice. Tonight, The Wardrobe in Leeds seem to have forgotten to switch on the air conditioning and the black sparkly dress that Ditto is wearing is completely stuck to her, she constantly fans herself, uses part of her top to temporarily wipe away the perspiration, but this doesn’t stop the dancing and energy emanating from her and the loyal audience that have come from all over the UK and Europe to witness a rare live Gossip show.
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Gossip @ The Wardrobe, Leeds (John Hayhurst)
Gossip bring The Yummy Fur out of retirement too, the Glasgow-based band set the tone for the night with a blistering set that combined jagged post-punk energy and playful absurdity. Known for their influence on the underground scene in the late ‘90s, The Yummy Fur delivered a performance that was both nostalgic and refreshingly raw. Their blend of angular guitar riffs, punchy basslines, and frenetic drumming created an atmosphere that felt equal parts chaotic and tightly controlled.
Songs like Policeman and Department captured the audience’s attention with their quirky, off-kilter charm, while the band’s slightly eccentric stage presence—marked by frontman John McKeown’s erratic movements—kept the crowd on their toes. It was clear that The Yummy Fur hadn’t lost their edge. Their sharp, cynical lyrics still felt incredibly relevant, and they managed to whip up excitement for the night’s main act.
From the start of Gossip’s headline set, Beth Ditto’s commanding stage presence took control of the audience. Clad in a black sparkling dress, with bright orange hair pulled back into a ponytail, she radiates confidence albeit with an unpredictable edge. Ditto was magnetic. Her vocal power, a blend of soulful depth and punk attitude, hitting every note with precision yet managing to feel spontaneous and urgent.
You expect the unexpected, frequent monologues in-between the songs about any subject matter that comes to her mind – Her love of Gogglebox particularly Giles and Mary to her distaste of The Sex Pistols: “I just didn’t get it, so many better punk bands like Misfits or The Slits” she explains.
Ditto spots a lipstick mark on the cheek of one of the security guards and interrogates him about it, offering to remove it before his wife finds out, much to the amusement of The Wardrobe crowd. Beth will frequently chat to John McKeown (Yummy Fur) but then doesn’t understand his thick Glaswegian accent. Then another discussion about the difference between Led Zeppelin’s back catalogue and Robert Plant’s solo material – singing the opening line of Big Log which nobody knew (apart from me and Beth it seems).
It is practically a stand-up comedy show between bouts of intense punchy dance-punk rhythms. The band had to keep interrupting her with the next track on the 18-song set list, otherwise we would have been here all night. Gossip’s combination of driving basslines from Ditto’s fiancé Teddy Kwo, staccato riffs that sliced through the mix with surgical precision from Nathan Howdeshell, soaring synth and additional guitar from touring member Bijoux Cone, and pulsating drums provided by drummer Hannah Blilie, created the perfect foundation for the 43-year-old frontwoman’s vocal dynamism.
Newer tracks from Real Power (the first Gossip album since 2012) were interwoven throughout and didn’t look out of place with their older variants. However it’s songs like Heavy Cross and the inevitable encore of Standing In The Way Of Control that truly ignited the crowd, especially when Ditto does a Dolly Parton impression and incorporates lyrics from the Country music legend’s classic hit 9 to 5 into it. The entire venue turns into an even more hot and sweaty, euphoric dance floor. These anthems, which propelled the band to fame decades ago, still felt fresh and rebellious, with the crowd chanting every word in solidarity.
Despite years away from the stage, Gossip performed with tight precision, effortlessly balancing the edginess of their punk roots with the infectious grooves of their more pop-oriented tracks. Ditto speaks so openly about her experiences, her ability to connect emotionally, while simultaneously energising the crowd, demonstrated why she remains such a beloved and vital figure in today’s music scene and how much have we missed her?
This was just one of a handful of shows here in the UK and Europe and whilst it has been a long wait, hopefully there’s more to come soon, but please – in bigger venues with air conditioning next time!
Live review and photography of Gossip @ The Wardrobe, Leeds on 4th September 2024 by John Hayhurst
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