Hell’s Angels

Amelia’s Magazine | Jena.Theo: London Fashion Week A/W 2013 Catwalk Review

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Jena Theo AW13 LFW by Charlotte Edey
Jena Theo A/W 2013 by Charlotte Edey

The Smiley faces dripping with acid plastered across the walls and Aphex Twin’s Window Licker as soundtrack set the tone for a trippy Jena.Theo show in the Portico Rooms at Somerset House.

Jena Theo A/W 13
Each model stepped out with matching tangelo lips and patent platform booties to stand together, sullenly cool and untouchable like the mean girls at school; which meant that of course I immediately wanted to be their best friend.

Jena Theo AW13 by Sarah Bogott
Jena Theo A/W 2013 by Sarah Bogott

The Jena.Theo colour palette was brave, with acidic pops of fuchsia, green, yellow and orange juxtaposed against black and gold. The textures provided another contrast; stiff denim and leather merging with soft silk and suede. The silhouette of this collection was voluminous; with tops worn several sizes too big and skirts dramatically flared or bubbled in various lengths.

Jena Theo A/W13

Favourites were the suede fuchsia drop-shoulder sweater paired with silky harem trousers and the over-sized fold over t-shirt dress in colourful graphic print with a giant orange smiley face sprayed across the front, worn with a bad-ass choker.

Jena Theo by Angelica Moreno
Jena Theo A/W 2013 by Angelica Moreno

There was reference to Hunter S. Thompson’s book Hell’s Angels, with this quote as the show inspiration: “The girls stood in a group, wearing bright lipstick and the black, wary expressions of half bright souls turned mean and nervous from too much bitter wisdom in too few years.” You would not funk with these girls, but my goodness did I want their clothes.

Jena Theo A/W13
All photography by Alex Kessler

Written by Alex Kessler on Sunday February 17th, 2013 6:43 pm

Categories ,90s, ,Angelica Moreno, ,Aphex Twin, ,Charlotte Edey, ,çv, ,Hell’s Angels, ,Hunter S. Thompson, ,Jena.theo, ,London Fashion Week, ,Portico Rooms, ,rave, ,Sarah Bogott, ,Smiley faces, ,Somerset House, ,Window Licker

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Amelia’s Magazine | Kept Impulses at the Barbican featuring Nancy Elizabeth, Hauschka and James Blackshaw

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nancy elizabeth - abi daker
Nancy Elizabeth by Abigail Daker.

I made a decision to attend Kept Impulses at the Barbican at the last minute only because I wanted to support Fran – erstwhile violinist in my ceilidh band Green Kite Midnight – backing the extremely talented 12 string guitarist James Blackshaw, physician stuff who we covered here last year. But I knew we were in for a treat as soon as I spotted Nancy Elizabeth in the line up for this collaborative show, here directed by David Coulter.

Nancy Elizabeth featured in issue 09 of Amelia’s Magazine and she also made a tune to go on the accompanying usb, but I met her long before that at the Thermal Festival in 2007. Feel free to read all about my exploits at this boutique festival oop north, curated by Sam Genders, formerly of Tuung and my report of Nancy’s gig at 93 Feet East that same year. I am happy to report that her down to earth manner and strong Mancunian accent remain absolutely intact, despite her now rarefied setting.

Abi Daker - Nancy Elizabeth James Blackshaw
James Blackshaw and Nancy Elizabeth play together.

She glided across the stage in a flouncy tiered frock. “You stood on ma lead!” she remonstrated James, as he took centre stage between Nancy and the German avante guard pianist Hauschka, “I thought I’d better wear the poshest dress I own since I’m in the poshest concert hall. I was a bit freaked out about playing here; I think we all feel the same.” Apparently they’d been up rehearsing for 3 days. No pressure then.

The first part of the performance was devoted to rearranged collaborative versions of original compositions, with the backing musicians swirling in and out of focus behind the thin gauze curtain according to the lighting effects and their importance. These included the harpist Julia Thornton stage left, and Thomas Bloch on a glass harmonica and cristal baschet on the far side, so I was unable to see what fun he was up to.

Nancy’s voice, without wanting to sound like a huge perv, wavers between the sweetest maple syrup and heaviest treacle. She is at ease with the piano, guitar, harp, or… plastic chair. “I asked them to find me one I could hit and I swear they spent an hour looking for the right one. I wasn’t expecting it to be this manky though.” Her sparse compositions worked well swollen with extra instruments.

Nancy Elizabeth - Abi Daker
Nancy Elizabeth by Abigail Daker.

I’ve been to see Fran play with James Blackshaw before so I know that he is brilliant at complex cyclical picking that builds up into a glorious wall of sound, beloved of guitar aficionados aplenty. The real revelation of the evening was Hauschka, who I have not heard of before. His speciality is what’s known as ‘prepared piano’ whereby he drops bits of junk into the innards of the instrument to create interesting noise effects. Sounds diabolical, makes amazing noises. Picking each bit of debris out one by one, he then dumped a bag of ping pong balls inside so that they could bounce up and down with the music.

Abi Daker - Hauschka
In my eagerness to catch Hauschka in action for this illustration by Abigail Daker, I received a severe remonstration from one of the stewards. Worth it though, don’t you agree?

After the break Nancy reappeared in a change of outfit, this time a striped gold and black number with a wide angular bottom, “I thought I’d have a costume change to show James up. I did offer him the dress first though.” Each of the musicians had a chance to showcase their solo work in the second half, complete with a much enlarged backing orchestra, including Fran, her little white stockings aglow in the centre of the stage. The finale was a joint composition created a few weeks ago and given the name 1000 Angels thanks to the appearance of huge numbers of Hells Angels near their Hackney recording studio. “I don’t know where it was,” said Nancy, “somewhere down south.” Only a true Northerner would say that. It’s east love, east.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday May 11th, 2010 10:50 pm

Categories ,Abigail Daker, ,barbican, ,David Coulter, ,Green Kite Midnight, ,Harp, ,Hauschka, ,Hells Angels, ,james blackshaw, ,Julia Thornton, ,Kept Impulses, ,nancy elizabeth, ,piano, ,Sam Genders, ,Thermal Festival, ,Thomas Bloch, ,tuung

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