BODEGA + M(H)AOL – HACKNEY MOTH CLUB, LONDON 29.3.22
New York punk band Bodega have built up something of a cult following over the past four years or so. They remain true to their roots by playing multiple shows in small venues rather than upscaling to larger venues, and it is this that brings them to the first of three nights that they are playing at Hackney Moth Club.
Support comes from the curiously named M(h)aol who are from Ireland. The first song features just the singer, and the female bassist playing her instrument with a bow. It is wonderfully ethereal. This ethereality doesn’t last however, and things quickly take a somewhat post-punky turn, with the emphasis on the ‘punk’. M(h)aol have two bassists. The aforementioned one, having dispensed with her bow, plays in a more conventional style, whereas the other tends to play by sliding his plectrum up and down the strings. There is a slight hint of Gilla Band about his approach.
Their material seems to be mostly about relationships and sexual politics. The songs are very short, mostly around 1 minute 30 seconds. Some are shorter. They make the Ramones sound almost prog! The singer recites a poem entitled ‘Sexual Anxiety’, which deals with confusion over sexual identity. ‘Gender Studies’ has a reggae flavour, something not heard too frequently these days. ‘Asking For It’ is about rape culture. It is a very angry song, and rightly so. As far as I’m aware M(h)aol don’t have an album out yet. They have some absolutely cracking material, and I think a M(h)aol album would be quite incendiary if not revolutionary. Bring it on!
Check out their tunes on their Bandcamp page HERE.
Bodega drummer Tai Lee has ‘D Boon’ (late singer and guitarist of The Minutemen) tattooed on her arm, doubtless to emphasise her punk credentials. This is a good start. The fact that she plays standing up without a bass drum like Mo Tucker (of The Velvet Underground) is even better! From the opening track ‘Can’t Knock The Hustle’ from 2018’s ‘Endless Scroll’ album it’s clear that Bodega are really punky and have loads of attitude without being bratty. There’s something about bands from New York: they seem to have an effortless cool that other bands simply can’t replicate. Vocalist/percussionist Nikki Belfiglio is a case in point. She appears to be single-handedly keeping alive the spirit of the B52s, without even trying!
This is another band specialising in short fast songs. This is just as well as they already seem to have quite an extensive back catalogue and are trying to cram in as much as possible, such as b-side ‘Top Hat No Rabbit’. Eight songs from new album ‘Broken Equipment’ get an airing. They even manage to fit in a new song that isn’t on the new album. They apologise for their self-indulgence. There’s no need – it’s a great song. Why isn’t it on the album?!! We aren’t told the title unfortunately. Another new song not on the album is ‘The Art Of Advertising’. This is to be released imminently as a single.
Not all of tonight’s songs are short and fast. ‘Memorise With Your Heart’ is a ballad. In general though there is a very definite Velvet Underground influence. Well, why the hell not? Drummer Tai Lee has a look of absolute delight throughout the entire set. She’s drenched in sweat too. It’s wonderful to see someone enjoying their work so much!
There is the odd surprise in the set: I certainly wasn’t expecting a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Slow Train’. It’s barely recognisable. Mind you, it probably isn’t when Dylan plays it either. Final song ‘Truth Is Not Punishment’ is relatively elongated compared to the rest of the set, with both guitarists contributing some blistering lead work.
The band are offstage for about thirty seconds before coming back for the encores, the first of which is ‘For The Record’. This is a cover of a song by Stretch Armstrong, who comes from Columbia in South Carolina, where singer Ben Hozie also has his origins. Ben says it’s “a sh*thole”. Probably worth bearing in mind if you’re holidaying in the States this year.
And the encores continue! There are six of them in all, including ‘Jack In Titanic’ from ‘Endless Scroll’, which is probably their most famous song. The band say that they are trying to get the record for the longest encore at the Moth Club. I think they may well have succeeded! This has been an awesome gig. One of those occasions when it feels like there has been a real communion between the band and the audience. It will live on in my memory for a long time. If you missed them, worry not: they have a UK gig at Islington Assembly Hall on 2nd November.
Bodega setlist:
‘Can’t Knock The Hustle’
‘Shiny New Model’
‘Top Hat No Rabbit’
‘Knife On The Platter’
‘Tarkovski’
‘NYC (Disambiguation)’
‘Thrown’
‘Statuette On The Console’
‘The Art Of Advertising’
‘How Did This Happen?!’
‘Territorial Call Of The Female’
‘Doers’
‘How Can I Help Ya?’
‘No Vanguard Revival’
‘Memorize w/ yr Heart’
‘Boxes For The Move’
‘Name Escape’
‘No Blade Of Grass’
‘Slow Train’ (Bob Dylan cover)
‘Treasures Of The Ancient World’
‘Truth Is Not Punishment’
(encore)
‘For The Record’ (Stretch Arm Strong cover)
‘All Past Lovers’
‘Jack In Titanic’
‘I Am Not A Cinephile’
‘Realism’
‘Warhol’
Visit the official BODEGA website HERE.
