Words by Angelika May
Photography by Anya Rose
After hatching onto the scene post-lock-down, Alien chicks have spent the past couple of years tirelessly reaping and sowing, and are now enjoying the fruits of their labour.
Unsurprisingly, their first headlining gig at the iconic 100 Club proved the band's tenacity and genuine warmth promised a prosperous future.
Supporting acts included Man Woman Chainsaw and Saloon Dion, who complimented this outrageously ferocious night which could only be described as rock and roll so vivacious it reverberates through your bones.
It’s clear why this band has developed such a loyal cult following in the past few months, there is a certain geniality with Alien Chicks, an insouciance attitude and a lack of ego that allows their stage presence to be giddy and humorous, particularly from frontman Josef who’s interactions with the crowd were often bemusing and earnest. Human beings naturally mirror energy, and the band's attitude is crucial for curating that energy and sustaining it. Josef, Stefan and Martha even after a particularly exhausting stint of working, gigging and touring alongside English Teacher generated an atmosphere of zealousness that assembled an impenetrable mosh pit, a stage dive from Josef, a crowd surf and multiple fans joining the Chick’s on stage to sing crowd favourite, “27 Stitches”.
Joining the Chick’s for the first time was Christos Stylianides (trumpet), who added a jazz-punk element that complemented the discordance and ferocity perfectly. It was unfortunate that these lines were only heard occasionally but steered the band into a musical fusion that was undeniably a positive one.
We were treated to some new material “Short Sight” and “Say Fish”, which continued to follow suit of their dynamic guitar lines and proficient beats. Their fast-paced tempo with a clear focus on brevity, drove an infectiously cheerful rage, which is a distinctive Alien Chicks quality that even when their arrangements can seem quite straightforward, their execution and delivery add a particular nuance to their genre that subverts math-rock/power-punk into a complex sound. These executions often come from the merges between Latin influences (Cowboy), which adds an ebb and flow.
Alien Chick’s, undeniably charismatic personalities combined with their dynamic and engaging sound, predicts a particularly fruitful 2024.
Check out more from Alien Chicks here.
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