Review: Dream Wife at the Wedgewood Rooms

Dream Wife – Wedgewood Rooms, Live Review

To a certain extent being invited to review Dream Wife at the Wedgewood rooms was somewhat more than just a gig. Prior to each show on the tour, Dream Wife organised a series of meet-ups. Their purpose, as well as the chance to interact with the audience, was much more personal than that.

Somewhere between a Q&A session and informal chat, the main subject on hand was to be self-identification as female and/or non-binary. While I wasn’t in attendance for this discussion, I still find it hard to believe that (to a minority of people) even mentioning the term LGTBQ+ is a taboo subject.

However, in this day and age topics such as sexuality and gender equality, remain just as important as ever. The reality is every generation will grow up with moments of self-discovery, yet no-one should face being questioned about the very essence of their being.

That is, of course, unless you’re causing harm to others around you. Especially when Dream Wife threatens to “fuck you up, gonna cut you up”. Ah, even the sweetest of them all have an angry streak…

Review Dream Wife – Wedgewood Rooms

Review: The Hippaes and Queen Zee

First up were a band hand-picked by Dream Wife as the local support. Opening acts on a 3 band bill can often play to a half-empty room, with a half-hearted sound engineer. However this isn’t the case at the Wedge, plus individually The Hippaes are no strangers to the local scene.

As such, the slightly indie-rock tunes were nice and tight too. Even when things started to come apart for the start of the last song, they soon pulled it back together. If it wasn’t for the main support, the Hippaes would have stood out a mile.

The Hippaes – Wedgewood Rooms

The flamboyant edge to Liverpool based Queen Zee was one that certainly made them memorable. Imagine Nirvana and Marc Bolan mixed with Green Day and Placebo, it was hard to define Queen Zee. Which in itself, went somewhat hand in hand with the mission of the whole tour.

They did, however, make a decent racket. This was part glam, part garage rock and with a touch of cabaret. I must admit I was rather getting into them, that was until the attempt at getting a ballroom dance going. Imagine a circle pit a metal gig, just with more sparkle and met with less enthusiasm. This was then followed by a cover of Dizzee Rascals “Bonkers“. Although, to be honest, I was already sold on Queen Zee before they started to go down the novelty route, so they’re forgiven really.

Queen Zee – Wedgewood Rooms

Every so often a band comes along that’s a voice of a generation. I, of course, realise this is a cliché piece of journalism. However, while I may be getting older it was apparent Dream Wife mean a lot to their target audience. Whether it’s the attempt to open up discussions pre-gig, or just the fact they’ve still got a punk-rock attitude towards trying to define individuals.

Live Review, Dream Wife

Was this some sort of movement for the younger generation and the LGBTQ+ community? It may well have been, but it was also a damn good show. Even when guitarist Alice Go misses the odd note here and there, it doesn’t matter. Her playing has a weird groove about it, as too does the rhythm section. It all sounds kind of electro-synth pop, but without any keyboards.

Then there’s Rakel Mjoll on lead vocals. Constantly smiling, dancing and showing her love towards Dream Wife headlining their own tour. It’s a success that seems well deserved too. As for continuing that fight for equality? They have that covered in what appears to be their undeniable anthem. So remember to love one another for who you are, or as Dream Wife simply put it “I am not my body, I am somebody”.