CONFLICT

ANNIE ANXIETY

London Starlight Club

SATURDAY NIGHT and the Starlight's compact interior is crammed full to bursting point. Trips to the bar become expeditions of considerable pathfinding difficulty as the room becomes a near inpenetrable cluster of leather. Dozens more would be punters are locked outside.

Annie Anxiety is the unbilled opener. Her fierce, brain-hammering pre-recorded backing strikes a vivid contrast with the reggae tapes played earlier. Starting with an inhibition-shedding assortment of severe shrieks and screams, she appears to become totally immersed in her performance. She strides around, continually on tip toes and wailing in fearsome, demonic tongues like a being possessed. Annie's set is a brief fifteen minutes or so, but a short, sharp impact is made.

Conflict follow quickly. As they work through their set-opening instrumental the atmosphere tingles with expectancy like a spark hopping down a fuse towards a stack of TNT. Vocalist Colin appears and the proceedings proper commence. The spark hits home and there is a big, big bang.

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