Gig Review: Hussy Hicks

"...sublime tunes from one of the greatest bands you’ve probably never heard of"

(Leesa Gentz [left] and Julz Parker from Hussy Hicks)



Hussy Hicks @ Surya
(c) Tim Russell 2014

It was a chilly autumn night in London yesterday and the rain was teeming down. I had tickets to see Australian folk/blues duo Hussy Hicks, but as I peered out the door of my favourite lesbian bar in Soho, the idea of schlepping up to Pentonville Rd seemed less and less appealing. 


After much dramatic sighing and wishing in vain for a break in the rain, I steeled myself against the wet and headed out to look for The Surya Centre.  

And girl was I glad I did, for I was treated to an hour and a half of sublime tunes from one of the greatest bands you’ve probably never heard of. It’s no wonder the duo of Julz Parker and Leesa Gentz have found themselves attracting quite a following amongst LBQ listeners since forming in 2006. 




Hussy Hicks @ Surya
(c) Tim Russell 2014

 Their music defies neat labelling, but its emphasis on soulful lyrics and powerful vocal arrangements sits well alongside that of The Indigo Girls - one of their key influences, according to Julz. In fact Hussy Hicks supported The Indigo Girls in Florida in 2013, at the Pensacola Unleashed festival (think Glastonbury meets Dinah Shore), a career highlight for the duo.

The gig commenced with a nod to their loyal fan base in London; the first two songs were from their first ever album – Life Plays Out. It was an inspired decision, judging by the reaction from the room. 

Audience members were offered a treat with the third song, Inside This Room. The song has not yet been recorded and whilst it will feature in their next album, currently the only way to hear it is to attend one of their performances in the UK or Australia over the coming weeks and months. 

The fourth song would have blown the roof off the venue, had it not been situated in the basement. Placating, from their 2012 Album “Postcards and Previews” was anything but conciliatory. Piercingly honest lyrics were the hallmark of this track which, combined with a haunting acoustic melody, left this reviewer wondering why they weren’t supporting Ed Sheeran over in the O2 arena at that very moment.  



(Gentz and Parker performing at Surya Centre on 15 Oct 2014)

 In the next song they moved firmly into a blues number with Armageddon, from their 2013 Album, “The London Sessions”. The number of supporting musicians swelled to four, and each of them was given an opportunity to shine. From a snappy solo by Phoebe Cook on the violin to a lengthy jam by all the guitarists, everyone pitched in to what ended up being a song mashup, mixing Armageddon with Prince’s Sexy Motherfucker. And the numbers kept growing. By the end of the song there were eight cramped on the small stage, each of them a talented musician in their own right.

After this the structure of the gig relaxed even more, as audience members and players mingled, and tequila shots were passed around.

(Gentz and Parker jamming with some of the contributors to their most recent album,
“The London Sessions”, Surya Centre, 15 Oct 2014)

In the next track Leesa took over the vocals, with My Fault, a classic lesbian angst song. The two girls of Hussy Hicks were undeniably the centre of the performance, however they are so ably supported by the instrumentalists that, in the end, the audience were treated to a seamless ensemble performance.

All too soon it was time for the final song, People of Passion. This song saw the girls return to the lyric based folk style so strongly evident in Placating. The melody was again carried by Julz, however she and Leesa also combined for some wonderful harmonies.

The rain increased in intensity as we all left the venue, but no-one seemed to notice. Hussy Hicks had successfully taken us out of our mundane world, even if only for a while.

Hussy Hicks continue their UK tour tonight in Stevenage, with further dates over the weekend.

For all details visit their tour site:http://hussyhicks.com/en/tours

Their latest album, “The London Sessions” is available on iTunes, Bandcamp and via their website:http://hussyhicks.com/en/discography/the-london-sessions

If you want a taster...


You can also find links to their older albums on their website.

By Kat Holmes