Everybody's Saying That

Smiling beguiling

When is a gig ticket not a gig ticket? That's right, when it lives on your phone; but not only that, turns out I need an App for these particular tix - Girl Ray playing & signing their new album at Rough Trade - and I can only 'activate' them two hours before the gig. Aaagh! It was probably more by luck than judgement that by the time I had to show them on the door the QR codes were good to go and we got waived in in an almost VIP lane manner. 

Said QR codes were then dutifully swapped for some rather sexy vinyl (yellow and pink  versions available) and it was straight into the tiny bar for a quick pint of Roadie IPA before the girls came on at 7. And what a formidable band they are. Tight as a tiger and owning every inch of the tiny stage they'd set their gear up on, their infectious guitar lead, disco leaning, pop (this new album would put Nile Rodgers to shame) is the perfect summer soundtrack. Everybody's saying that.

Girl Ray - Everybody's Saying That (2023)

Although I'd seen Girl Ray before (supporting Metronomy at Rock City in 2019) I hadn't really picked up on the fact that they have an almost gang mentality and really enjoy playing live and are supremely confident in everthing they do. It comes over both on stage and afterwards when we met them and got our records signed. Leaving the venue I couldn't stop smiling. And thinking how cool it would have been to have had sisters like Poppy, Iris & Sophie when I was growing up.