Lene Lovich (17/5/25, Downstairs at the Dome, London, England, UK)

Downstairs at the Dome was hit by a quirky new wave last Saturday thanks to Lene Lovich and her plucky band. They were heralded, once again, by Anglo–Argentinian electropoppers SHH and by an act hitherto unknown to me, percussion-heavy goth-hymnalists The Gospel.

SHH stepped up first, as before when I saw them support Lovich at the Lexington back in 2023, frontwoman Diana Huerte, dressed like I imagine Ann Sterzinger would be were she a rock star, belting out her electro numbers to the keystrokes of partner Robert Heller. Opening confidently with the aptly titled ‘Big It Up’, the two sung, played, and danced the audience through a half-hour showcase of love, lust, and longing in the big city, and, in the case of Diana, even gave me a verbal nod between songs. The likes of ‘City Life’, ‘Sleepless’, and ‘Wonderful Night’ sparkle with an understated synth sheen to underscore the longing sentiments expressed, and the one song I remembered the title of, ‘Do What I Say (or Die)’, added a bit of playful audacity to the mix (as did some of the on-screen animations playing throughoutbthe set!). Twas nice to see them again and to chat to Diana at the night’s end.

Next up came The Gospel, the aptly named troupe described by one nearby member of the audience as “Nic Cave and his five girlfriends”. I remember someone I was once close to likening gigs to vectors of/substitutes. for worship, and she’d have been right in her element with this lot! Jimmy Sweet and his hypothesised harem croon, chant, and chorus their way through some decidedly hymnal-sounding numbers, the instrumental section being especially dominated by the percussive efforts of two members, flanking Sweet instead of being placed in the background per typical drummer tradition. Indeed, after seeing one-time children’s telly star Danielle McCormack (looking strikingly youthful for someone born in ’83!) pummelling away at her kit, I can see why she wanted to ensure that fucker was well and truly secured prior to the set. Special kudos also goes to their new keyboardist for making her onstage presence known in an effective way, particularly on closing track ‘The Pills’. Prior to that number, opener ‘Burning Like a Fever’, the soaring ‘The Only One’, and their cover of Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’ stood out, the latter particularly for shifting away from the double-entendre tone of the original to something more aligned with their liturgical vibe. A memorable introduction, even if I wonder if their modus operandi might become a bit repetitive on record.

As for Lene herself, in her headline slot, she once again shines in all of her kooky, quirky glory, maybe even brighter than the last time I saw her. With a setlist chocka full of hits and notables from her first three album, she and her band nailed each and every one of them with the fidelity they warranted, keeping the energy on a constant high throughout. Whether stopping off at the ‘Blue Hotel’, demanding a ‘New Toy’, saxing it up during ‘Monkey Talk’, or decrying the overabundance of “useless martyrs” along the ‘Rocky Road’, Lovich pays time due gratitude for being kind to her lungs, her voice still standing formidable and versatile enough to do said songs justice; her band, once again including Stan Greenwood of Ghost Dance/Skeletal Family fame on guitars, translate their strong rapport with Lene and each other into a performance that honours the new-wave glory of the material, steering clear of any diluting updates. As such ‘The Writing on the Wall’ remained legible and a pleasure to read, the sword of ‘Joan’ remained sharp, and the ‘Angels’ soared with fully feathered wings, with nary a scrimp on the ‘Details’.

So, yes, sterling set, and one that outdid their previous London outing at that. Hopefully, Lene and the gang will see fit to include material from beyond the “Toy Box” years the next time they pass through the big smoke: hearing ‘Make-Believe’ live would blow my mind! Still, the reality of things so far has been nowt to cry about.

~MRDA~