Altered Images + Pin Ups
Forming in Glasgow in 1979, Altered Images sprang from the post-punk and nascent new wave scene. Having supported Siouxsie and the Banshees, the band were championed by John Peel and went on to have six singles reach the top 40 and three top 30 albums before splitting in 1983. Since 2002, lead singer turned actress and author, Clare Grogan has performed intermittently under the Altered Images banner, frequently at 80s revival shows. So, is this going to be just another nostalgia fest? We shall see....
First up, we have PIN UPS. I have heard a lot of good things about these guys but haven’t managed to catch them live until tonight. And I have to say, I very much like what they are doing. They describe themselves as wonky-grunge-indie and that isn’t a bad call. At times, the sound is all spacey and other-worldly, like a contemporary Hawkwind, then it turns into a post-punk Dodgy/Supergrass hybrid before heading in to Blur and Arctic Monkeys territory. Drummer Jesse, guitarist Joshua and bassist Louis all take lead vocals and combine to produce some wonderfully off-kilter harmonies. With cracking songs and entertaining stage presence, Pin Ups are almost the complete package. My only concern is that the between song chat detracts from the music.
And so to the main event. As with many of these so-called heritage shows, I am here out of curiosity more than because of any long standing fandom of ALTERED IMAGES. Unlike a fellow Outliner in the audience who saw Altered Images 37 years ago, I can’t tell you what they were like back in the day and how tonight’s show compares. What I can say, though, is that this is a cracker.
Tonight, sole original member Clare (AKA Susan from Gregory’s Girl, Kochanski from Red Dwarf, Shelley from Skins and more) Grogan is joined by Roxie on vocals, Gillian on guitar, Lesley on drums and bassist Alan. This is more than Clare and her hired hands: together, they are a proper band and clearly enjoy playing together. Of course, the thirteen song set includes the best known songs. There’s opener I Could Be Happy, Don’t Talk To Me About Love, See Those Eyes, Change of Heart, Bring Me Closer, set closer Happy Birthday and encore Love To Stay. There are surprises though. Two of the highlights are far more recent: Don’t Give Up Girl which was written for Skins and new song Colour Of My Dreams. Add in the gloriously gothy post-punk of both Insects and debut single Dead Popstars along with unexpected covers of the Ting Tings’ That’s Not My Name and Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off and it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable show. My fellow Outliner calls it joyous. I can’t argue with that.
