By Rob Jones
A Fay Fife and Eugene Reynolds led Rezillos quintet took to the stage at The Tramshed, Cardiff and the furious five fired fun in to unchartered galaxies! This is the essential power pop punk party iced with the spirit of regal rock n roll past. These energetic Edinburgh entrepreneurs created the legendary Can’t Stand the Rezillos album and this release is the lead for a lightning live lustre with the more contemporary long player – Zero in pursuit, and even fresher fare is also brought into the fray.
Fay sported her usual colourful cross section of fashions with a nod to the go-go dancing scene of a yesteryear swinging decade. Meanwhile, Eugene looked like a villain from a yesteryear, black and white, sci-fi, movie. It is all good stuff! So, what tunes are in the set list?
The late 70’s Midas will always be on a pedestal and that means: Destination Venus, Mystery Action, Flying Saucer Attack, It gets Me, I can’t stand my Baby, (My baby does) Good Sculptures, Top of the Pops, 20,000 Rezillos under the Sea (the riotous reimagining of Gioachino Rossini’s William Tell Overture), and Someone’s gonna get their head kicked in Tonite (a strangely titled Fleetwood Mac original, done in a street style stomp). The journey also includes a riotous rendition of River Deep Mountain High (placing the Ike and Tina Turner original in the fastest of lanes) – and, even though this has been in the set for a while, it seems apt to be on display after the sad demise of its former diva. These anthems were interspersed with more modern momentum such as: Take me to the Groovy Room, Zero, Spike Heel Assassin and also the brand new of Edge of Delight and Cranium. We also delved in to other world of the Rezillos as The Revillos in the form of the wacky Do the Mutilation. Therefore, we are talking quality and quantity – and, as the less spirited sit at home watching Strictly Come Dancing – the more outgoing are in the Welsh capital pulling some serious shapes and sculptures!
In between song banter from the band was comical and they really do their best to involve the audience. Fay bonded the octaves and organ as Eugene mingled singing with sax and gusto with guitar. The stage stamina of Fife and Reynolds mean that things are always chopping and changing via an aural and visual extravaganza – and, they are ably supported by their team mates!
45 years have flown by since that debut disc which introduced many of the songs above and it is still always a joy to hear anything from this weird, wonderful work! If you have been aboard the rocket ship Rezillos for the duration of a remarkable ride or you are a newbie to this nutty nation, attendance at one of these gigs results in a grin on your chops. This is an indelible, uplifting experience that invites the young but as tonight shows also energises the more mature rebel. A new word for our dictionaries is spelt – Rezillient – because that is what this band is – and, their perspiration is our inspiration!
