Girlschool, Camden Underworld 2020

It’s the first time I’ve seen Girlschool since Tracey Lamb rejoined an it’s apparent from my pre gig interview that the girls are happy to be back together and still havin fun hard rockin over forty years  since they started. So it’s smiles all round. The crowd are all well up for it too with strains of ‘We’re the Barmy Girlschool Army’ football chant style ringing round the hall before the girls even take the stage.

 

The girls still bring it, sounding and looking great and knowing exactly what makes a great show. The set list is packed with all the crowd favourites from the eighties kicking off with ‘Demolition Boys’, ‘C’mon Let’s Go’ and ‘The Hunter’. We are then brought bang up to date with ‘Guilty as Sin’ before another breathless run of ‘Action’, ‘Hit and Run’, ‘Future Flash’, ‘Nothing to Lose’ and ‘Kick it Down’. After final new track for the night ‘Take it Like a Band’ we’re soon into the home straight with the iconic riff from ‘Race With the Devil’, ‘Bomber’ the Motorhead and B side to ‘Please Don’t Touch’ apparently never played live before and ‘Emergency’.

 

For the crowd it’s over far too soon and we are soon hearing an insistent ‘Barmy Army’ chant, one of the loudest encore chants I’ve heard,  until the girls are back for a touch of ‘Screaming Blue Murder’ and ‘Tush’ the ZZ Top cover for a touch of singing by Jackie and even a few notes from Denise albeit she is somewhat forced into it by a mike being thrust upon her. She’s up for a laugh even though she clearly would not be singing by choice and everything ends on a wild party note. It’s hard to believe this is the girl’s fourth decade. Still one of the most vibrant bands around with a devoted fan base, definitely a great night out!

Dawn Osborne