Low Cut Connie

Low Cut Connie - Gullivers, Manchester (UK) - 03 December 2017

You know the Laurel & Hardy shtick of getting the piano up the stairs? That was Low Cut Connie's day; no way was that getting into the cramped performance space. No worry though, it leaves front-man Adam Weiner more space to perform. And that's dangerous...

Low Cut Connie are making increasingly big waves. Four albums in, their latest, 'Dirty Pictures (Part 1)' piqued the interest of Elton John who played them on his radio show and it is the most focussed, the most direct and certainly the best of their releases. A strange band with Adam Weiner willowy and looking like a deer in the headlights front and centre, a bassist grinning toothily (they call him 'Colgate', we're told) and with two guitarists, one resembling Mike Nesmith, one like a greaser reject form 'Laverne & Shirley', we're aware things are not conventional.

They proceed to show us how boring conventional is. Weiner is so naughty tonight, arriving with a large pot plant he's taken on the way, which then is placed in front of bandmates to peer round or through, he takes two chairs and balances on them regularly, half performance art, half pleasing himself. From the first song, when he manhandles a fan onto the stage, it's a riot of fun and there is a lot of Fee Waybill and Tubes tendency to see.



They don't half have the tunes though, he tries a revivalist preacher act on the refreshing 'Shake It Little Tina', then comes out and hugs all forty of us, 'Dirty Water', he tells us, was complimented for the piano by Elton John, which we won't hear tonight – no matter, the sleazier, 'Big Thighs NJ' has a lovely J Geils Band flavour to match it's excellent title and, of course, the simple, frisky 'Revolution Rock 'N' Roll' is their calling card.

They end with 'Controversy', Wiener ripping his vest to the pumping noise. Tonight, he was undeniable, one of the best performances of the year, self-mocking, intelligent, flamboyant and with a voice that won't quit, he needs to be seen to be believed. As he tells us, he was considering killing himself if no one turned up tonight, but here we are, however, they're in Brighton in two days and "ticket sales are not good..." You know what to do, see them and you'll be talking about it for weeks.

Steve Swift