Le Tigre, London Astoria, Friday 31st May 2002
How could I have forgotten??

THE best musical experience in years, literally. It's hard to imagine having a better time than I had on Friday night, seeing a band of whom I only knew half a dozen songs, but who have shot up muh personal rankings like no-one's business in the last couple of months. I love them!!

I've been spurred to multiple punctuation marks, but that's okay, cos excitement does funny things. Kathleen Hanna is a magnificently inspiring, desperately attractive woman who became my idol in a matter of seconds on Friday night. I feel she wouldn't appreciate my lust, so idolatry's the next best thing. The band gambolled on stage with matching Star Trek-stylee outfits which just made them look dreamy (or, in new member JD's case, inspired me to comment "my dream job would be to be the only bloke in Le Tigre" - only when a touching tale of her coming out as a lesbian was recounted could I be sure I'd got that one wrong). The immediate energy and passion seduced me in moment, not that I really needed to be seduced - the languid, treble-free sound of Slumber Party supporting had piqued my musical desires, and I kind of had a feeling Le Tigre weren't going to let me down...

I can never escape from the pit of bad music journalism, and in any case it's hard to find ways of describing individual songs etc. when you can't see my massive cheesy grin. It was that perfect. The only thing I will mention is the encore - Deceptacon, natch - which saw a hundred or so rrrioters storm the stage and dance their tits off while I pogoed like a loon up the front. Heaven! Sweaty heaven, true, but I could have been tarred and feathered and it wouldn't have spoiled my night.

I get a bit embarrassed when my enthusiasm overtakes my writing, so I'll stop now. But fuck, if you EVER get the chance to see this band, kill for tickets if necessary.