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Live Review
by SashaS
1-5-2002
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| Dot Allison is a techno-babe |
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Live: Dot Allison
Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Tuesday, April 30, 2002
Dot Allison presents her musical hybrid at ‘New To Q’ mini-fest
‘New To Q’ is the mini-fest organised by the magazine that is better known for covering more ‘serious’ mainstream musos than the up-and-coming or marginal artists. And yet, these shows feature young talent that is yet to really make major inroads with tonight’s being the ‘dance’ night but then – what were Simian doing on the bill? Anyhow, headlined by Kosheen, the drum’n’bass retrovists, the main interest is firmly focused on Dot Allison and her new musical direction.
A bank of keyboards is positioned centre-stage Allison stands behind although she hardly touches it aside to trigger pre-recorded tracks; the same with a guitar that she straps on for the finale but manages to strum only a handful of chords. This is technology based show despite a regular line-up of musicians backing her; the emphasis is on the cyber particles…
And, it works brilliantly: it has the beat to keep one’s body on the go, it has hooks to arrest attention in yellow-alert mode and enough sex-appeal to keep boys ogling in delight… Someone’s described her new musical direction as “electro-sex-kitten” but it is totally unjust. Dot Allison has paid her dues via different guises, from a blissed–out electro-dub trio One Dove to alt.country-ism, to arrive at this hybrid.
It contains details of many a genre – pop, rock, dance, funk, electronica – that at times recalls Garbage if they were less rock-posturing, more electro, with a tamed attitude and a noir-vocal to match. Allison is a babe in the Kylie league, petite, lithe and perfectly bodied who (for the difference) doesn’t exploit ‘erotica’ via undergarment-disguised-as-dresses. Dot’s presence is somewhat restrained, a distant siren but sexy per se, who happily shakes her booty on occasions.
Ms Allison’s vocal is on the quietish side, an accompaniment rather than dominating. At times, like in the opener, ‘I Think I Love You’ (an open-letter to her beau, Richard Fearless, of Death In Vegas?), her soft delivery is lost in the harsh musicality; she handles better the groin-fuelling ‘We’re Only Science’, the title track of her May-due album. ‘Substance’ and ‘Hex’ are other songs that get us in a mood… for dancing on a bed.
Allison’s support slot means she’s finished within half-an-hour, which leaves us wanting… Technology allows inventive musicians to be liberated of… bulls**t; Dot Allison is free!
SashaS
26-8-2002
Dot Allison’s album ‘We Are Science’ is released 20 May 2002 on Mantra Recordings
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