Live

Rachel Stamp

Bill Cummings 29/03/2004

Rachel Stamp are a glam rock band, they have been lurking around the British music scene for about ten years. Today's gig is somewhat of a home coming as David Prangley lead singer is from about ten minutes up the road. This tour is to debut new material from their new album entitled “oceans of Venus.”

The songs come at a pace each one ignited by Prangley's facial expressions, his rock star posing and the faint air of ridiculousness about the whole spectacle. The front row lap up the heady mixture of glam, rock and sleaziness served up in standout songs like “I wanna be a Doll” and “Shake that black tambourine.” During “Crucified” Prangley hangs from pylons on the ceiling, and throws mock crucifixion poses while Will the guitarist wields his axe scissor kicking across the stage and the cat like keyboardist doesn't move from her indignant pose throught the entire song.

Rachel Stamp in-habit a world where trashy aesthetics and big riffs rule they seem to hark after the late 80's rock scene. The problem is this is 2002 and their attempts to modernize and become a serious Goth/rock prospect on songs like “Black cherry” are just plain funny. Rachel Stamp should not take themselves so seriously after all we need glamour in the music industry and they make King Adora look like amateurs at this game.