Moved from the Cluny 2 to the Cluny 1, and starting earlier than expected, there’s quite a topsy turvy start to tonight’s show – something that continues across the evening and in alignment with a combination of performances that clearly value the notion of originality.   

Openers Haunted Hair kick off the evening with a deep sense of style and performance art as they move through some interesting musicality before New York’s multi-faceted Shilpa Ray turns up to deliver a strong combination of 50s doo-wop combined with street-lyrics and urban art textures.  The lush textures of doo-wop inspired Johnny Thunders Fantasy Space Camp (what a title!!) and Add Value Add Time combine to deliver moments of trashy New York Dolls punk with the production moments of the Ronettes and both are spectacular.   

Slightly a shame, the earlier starting time seems to mean some of the audience don’t arrive until mid-way through Ray’s performance; though in a silver lining it does mean standout track EMT Police and the Fire Department gets two run-throughs; both deliveries prompting furious crowd dance alongs and forceful deliveries by Ray who changes vocal style from a more traditional ‘singing’ approach to a punky-back-of-the-throat delivery.  Noticeably warming as the performance progresses (and the audience size increases) Ray is in fine form by the show’s end.  Intense, slightly erratic and full of interesting ideas, you wouldn’t want much else from a diverse artist. Great stuff.