Scissor Sisters in Adelaide

Ever since their first album came out in 2004 I’ve been a fan of the Scissor Sisters and my dream of seeing them live came true on Thursday night. They were in Australia about 2 years ago but did not come to Adelaide much to my disgust.

They played at the Entertainment Centre on Thursday night and a girlfriend and I went along, suitably dressed up. Although I did feel a bit mutton dressed as lamb in my purple sparkly outfit which seems to be more clingy than it was last time I wore it.

They played at the Entertainment Centre which is not at all my favourite venue because of the size. I would much rather see a band like this at Thebarton Theatre but obviously more people will fit in the Entertainment Centre.

When they first started I was appalled at the sound but this settled down after the first song thank goodness.

I did learn that the band name – Scissor Sisters – is named after a position that lesbians use during sex. I’m so naive, I had no idea. I thought it was something to do with hairdressing.

After having heard their debut album and most of the new one, Tah Da, I much prefer the first one. Who can go past songs like ‘Filthy Gorgeous’, ‘Tits on the Radio’ and ‘Take your Mama’?

The 2 main singers, Jake and Ana (think I have the names right) were very entertaining while singing and Ana also entertained with her stories inbetween many of the songs. One of them was about a complaint they got after the show in Sydney from a parent who didn’t like the language used during the performance because her children were there. As Ana said, their band name is named after a lesbian sexual position and they hoped they didn’t offend anyone in Adelaide before saying just about every swear word you can think of to get it out of the way.

Now, I just have something to say to women that go to shows like this – don’t take your big handbags ladies. A concert like this is bound to have quite limited space and when you push in front of 2 lovely women that have been there securing their position for a little while and you stop right in front of them and your bloody handbag gets in the way, you can expect to have it subtly (or not) pushed out of the way. But I guess your ego is as big as your handbag so you don’t even notice.

Now 20 years ago I could understand the big handbags, after all a girl needed somewhere to put her hairspray to touch up the perm during a toilet break – not me because I used half a can each time I went out that lasted the whole night. Take a lesson from a more experience band goer darling, and have a small handbag for going out. One with a long strap that you can hang diagonally from one shoulder to another, with room enough for the phone, a small coin purse that you can squash notes in too, keys, and some lippy, and perhaps some chewing gum. That’s all you need and then you won’t piss anyone off with your larger bag.

I must say that I know this pushing thing inevitably happens at concerts but dancing with elbows strategically positioned helps in personal space creation.

One more thing at concerts, its inevitable that someone taller than you will stand right in front of you so you have to constantly try and peer around them to see the stage.

Back to the Scissor Sisters – it all seemed to be over quite quickly but they were probably on for an hour and a half and for my first big concert since Nick Cave I enjoyed it. Womad’s next on the list.