Scissor Sisters

New York's overtly camp export Scissor Sisters have done remarkably well in the UK. They were tipped by Har Mar Superstar to be a band that would take over the world a couple of years back, but personally I could never see it happenning. However, after excessive touring, including a mid-afternoon spot on the NME stage last year at V the Scissor Sisters return triumphantly to headline.

Opening with the groovy piano lead 'Laura' Sister Sisters couldn't look more camp if they tried. Colourful, flamboyant and energetic vocalist Jake Shears leads the band through their glam rock back catalogue which consists of just the one album. It's a long time before the band play another single and we're treated to a couple of new songs 'I can't decide' and 'Hair baby'. 'Better luck' is performed from their huge selling self titled album, a track that sounds dreadfully disco and you wonder whether The Bee Gees would have been half as popular if The Scissor Sisters had been around at the same time.

Everyone dances along to 'Tit's on the radio's bass line until the band eventually play the fantastic 'Take your mamma out'. The second single from the album owes its success to a great rythm and acoustic feel that could have made Oasis jealous.

In contrast 'Mary' sounds so much like Elton John I half expected them to donate the song to Princess Diana. The band don't dwell on ballads for too long, which is just as well. 'Music is the victim' is another disco number and then The Scissor Sisters perform their atrocious cover of Pink Floyd's 'Comfortably Numb', a quick guide in how to destroy a fantastic record.

The band end their set by getting a handful of muppets seemingly borrowed from Seasame Street to come on stage and start prancing around. A huge err..... scissor.... thing claps along in the centre of the stage, wildly out of time with the music.

I'd like to dismiss the Scissor Sisters as a novelty band, riding on the wave of a nostalgic 80's disco comeback - but I've been wrong about them before and I'll probably make the same mistake again. I'm afraid camp, chirpy, glam-rock and disco music is back and you may as well enjoy it while you can.

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