Finally, a decent rock and roll line-up. This, the second of the Hush Hush monthly series, was held tonight at Ding Dong and featured local rock weirdos Legends of Motorsport supporting punk icons La Femme.

Arriving post Bladeshy and Jarvis, I was luckily in time to see Hush Hush’s very own burlesque girls. Dolled up in feathers they were the perfect entrée for psych-rock, garage kids, Legends of Motorsport. Hitting the stage in a wall of noise the Legends were, as always, brutally cool. Stepping out for a rare live show, the lads were full of energy, so much so it seemed at one point as if the drummer might pop off his stool and missile through the roof. Thankfully, he didn’t and the crowd were treated to a classic low-end shaking, feedback drenched Legends set. ‘Don’t Need Love’ was a highlight, as was the floor pounding ‘Ice Cream’. Finishing with something called ‘Mumbai’ it was a brutally bass heavy, noise infested finish to a typically insane sounding Legends set. Somewhat disappointingly, despite the energy, it was one of the few Legends of Motorsport shows where instruments and musicians remained onstage and upright the entire performance.

After a little more burlesque La Femme had their turn. Man, it was good to see La Femme back and looking so vital! Chane Chane has got himself a new and younger backing band, bringing with them an obvious intensity increase. While the boys climbed on stage and fired up, Chane Chane started from behind Ding Dong’s silver curtains. Screaming something about growing up in an era gone by he finally made himself shown, fly-kicking his way into view. Tearing through one punk anthem after another, the new La Femme members appeared relaxed and natural. Chane Chane still has the moves and with some added energy behind him it all gelled.

Coinciding with the re-release of their debut, self-titled album, out through Aztec Music, it was great to hear La Femme hits ‘Chelsea Kids’ and ‘The Boys Next Door’ sounding so lively. With a few older heads nodding along, it seems La Femme might still have a little of that magic left over from the seventies and eighties of which they were so much a part.