As it feels like men drag music to an all time low time and time again, women ruled on this Wednesday night in Birmingham with Pvris in town with Scene Queen and Sophie Powers in tow. Whilst public transport did its thing meaning the opening set from Powers was missed, but that didn’t prevent most people from getting there on time and creating a buzz that is often missing at these types of shows. A buzz that lingered until Scene Queen took to the stage and elevated it from a buzz to euphoria.
Despite not being an ‘obvious’ support act for Pvris, a band that are more rooted in the pop side of rock, Hannah Collins’ alter ego certainly knows how to work a room. Anyone unaware of what bimbocore was before the Scene Queen set began was likely left with even more questions as ‘Finger’ started. Leaving metal purists crying into their Slayer tees in the corner, Collins’ vocals deliver mature lyrics of various topics. Whether it’s the aforementioned ‘Finger’s’ sexually provocative subject or calling out the industry in ’18+’, Scene Queen doesn’t so much as drop innuendoes as full nuclear bombs.
Across half an hour there was a raising of spirits and eyebrows, the latter never more so than when a ‘gentleman’ in the crowd decided the end of ‘Pink Push-Up Bra’ was the appropriate time to wolf-whistle the vocalist on stage. Luckily ‘Pink Rover’ was written to specifically to deal with this situation so when a self-provided encore booted up it was time to put him in his place. If only it was that easy to fix the issues raised in ’18+’. Fluffy pink cowgirl hats and sparkles mixed with chunky guitars won over doubters and those already converted had a delightful time in the twerklepit. See you next time!
Though Scene Queen’s set had enough energy in half an hour to feel like a headline set, it was Pvris’ tour and the adoring crowd made that known as Lynn Gunn and the newly assembled band behind took to the stage. 2023’s EVERGREEN opener ‘I DON’T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE’ started proceedings and the dreamy pop tones mixed with dark, expansive rock that are so perfectly crafted to latch on to Gunn’s vocals fill the room. From here it’s an hour and a half of trancelike tunes, taking in the majority of EVERGREEN with more than enough time left to visit previous albums and singles with the likes of ‘Dead Weight’ and ‘Oil & Water’ receiving some of the biggest reactions.
The new album won the evening though. It was sung back, sometimes to the relief of Gunn as words seemed to fail her during a few songs. Such was the crowd-artist symbiosis, this was barely even noticeable until mentioned, though it speaks to Gunn’s professionalism that she wanted to make apologise. By the time closing track and electronic-alternative hit ‘GODDESS’ came around to close out the encore it was impossible to not be dancing along with every beat, singing along with every word and beaming from ear to ear. Scene Queen making a fleeting reappearance was short and fun and the evening as a whole was life-affirming and exhausting in the best possible way.
Music has the wonderful ability to bring people together, to heal wounds and make hours pass in moments. All of this happened in Birmingham on this evening.