The Gossip @ Terminal 5 NYC

Now, it must be said up front that Terminal 5 is a lovely venue. It's a bigger venue than The Gossip has ever played in NYC before. There's the stage level floor, the second floor with good balcony views of the whole stage and the crowd below, and the third floor which is much like the second, but with smoking permitted. And there are at least two well-stocked full-service bars on each floor. Terminal 5 is a lovely venue, and I hate it. I hate it for many reasons, but mostly because no matter what I do, I can't seem to get in with my camera because it's "professional" (even though my camera's almost 6 years old and now even the little point-and-shoot cameras that Terminal 5 staff does let in have more megapixels and zoom than my camera does). But that's just my own personal Heavy Cross...moving on!

Opening for The Gossip this evening were Apache Beat and MEN (fronted by LaTigre vet, J.D. Samson). The venue doors opened at 7pm, and when I arrived on the scene at 7:30pm-ish, Apache Beat was already tearing it up onstage. I can usually take or leave a lot of opening acts, but Apache had something else going on. They are a five piece ensemble with some really kick ass drums (courtesy of Neil Westgate) and bass lines (big ups to DosSantos). With Christina Aceto on synths and Phillip Aceto rounding it all out on guitar, it's obvious that these kids know how to have a good time. Lead singer, Ilirjana Alushaj is a bit manic but really knows how to belt it out. It's no wonder Gossip chose this band to get the crowd warmed up. Here's a little taste of what they had to offer captured on my trusty camera phone:

Apache Beat Live @ Terminal 5 in NYC

As for MEN, LeTigre veteran J.D. Samson's latest little something to do, it was a non-stop, hop up and down, pump your fist in the air, and make a silly face kinda good time. I think we wouldn't expect (or accept) anything less. With J.D. synths and sound boards with all the beats and special effects, Michael O'Neill on guitar, Ginger Takahashi on bass, and "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" hyping the crowd, it was a good way to get the blood pumping back to the feet ('cause three hours is a long time to wait in one spot for Beth Ditto to happen) and get the body dancing. I was gonna post a video snippet, but the sound wasn't so great and the picture was obscured by the very polite monolith of a man who slid in front of me at the last second...sorry guys. But no worries: On to the main attraction!!!

The Gossip took to the stage at precisely 10pm (I love a band that loves the fans enough not to keep us all waiting forever and ever). The show opened with track no. 1 off their new album, Music For Men. An as yet unnamed bass player (who we now know is none other than Chris Sutton - thank you Anonymous Commenter!) climbed onto stage first. Whoever he is, he worked it out at this show. Anyways...drummer Hannah Blilie was next to step on stage, and though I'm certain she was beloved before, I'm sure that her new status as the album's cover girl didn't hurt either. Guitarist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell stepped up and the two of them started the opening licks of Dimestore Diamond. Beth Ditto started singing from somewhere in the ether, and when she finally set foot on stage, the crowd went berserk...but quickly reigned themselves in so as not to miss a single second of Bethtastic vocal goodness. The band's universally loved frontwoman sported a new shorter 'do in Kool-Aid red or Sunkist orange (depending on the lighting), She wore form-fitting black, knee-length dress covered in silvery glitter sparkles that shimmered as she shimmied around the stage to the beat, giving the impression that Beth Ditto is not the centre of the universe, but the universe itself...and we mere mortals are all just playing at her game. Side note: all the video is shot on my camera phone (as usual), BUT my screen is broken, so I couldn't actually see what I was recording. I just had to hope I was pressing the right button to start and stop. Please forgive any Beth Ditto headlessness and try to focus on her awesomeness and the sublime sound quality.

The Gossip - Dimestore Diamond Live @Terminal 5 in NYC

Not a bad way to kick off a show! The Gossip covered old favorites like Your Mangled Heart

The Gossip - Your Mangled Heart Live @Terminal 5 in NYC

as well as the newest of the new album with 8th Wonder

The Gossip - 8th Wonder Live @Terminal 5 in NYC

And in between songs, Beth came with her trademark blend of down-home, big sisterly chit-chat with the audience. When one fan held up a photo of herself with Beth at another show, the singer took the photo ("I need a Sharpie! Who has a Sharpie!"), took a few minutes to write something sweet and passed it back to the fan. In another case, when security tried to break up an argument in the audience, Beth halted her song opening to settle the dispute (a guy had called some girls dirty c***s and wouldn't apologise even after Beth gave him the mic to do it, so she let security escort him out). At one point between songs, Beth was having a little tete-a-tete with drummer Hannah Blilie, and when the audience got impatient with waiting, Beth turned to the crowd and said, "Shhhhhh...Band meeting! Don't be rude, now!" Some of the shows other highlights included my favorite cut off the new album, Four Letter Word:

The Gossip - Four Letter Word Live @Terminal5 in NYC

And what Gossip show would be complete without a kick-ass cover song, right? Here's Beth & Co. doing it up during the "encore" to the Tina Turner classic, What's Love Got To Do With It. And yeah, after the main set was over, she came back out barefoot and with just her skivvies on! Love this girl!:

The Gossip - What's Love Got To Do With It Live @Terminal 5 in NYC

The show finally (for really-real) closed with the song that put Gossip on the map, Standing In The Way Of Control, but not before some more love from Beth to the fans. She shouted out one girl for her 26th birthday, and invited another fan, the UK's own DJ Lindsay, onstage to celebrate DJ's 50th Gossip show before launching into the song ("You can stand here, but it might get awkward..."). Oh, and the other thing I hate about Terminal 5? The barrier moat between the stage and the crowd for press photogs. Granted, I might feel differently if I was in the moat with my camera, but I think that is neither here nor there. The point is, it keeps the fans away from the artists, and keeps the artist away from the fans. And Beth (bless her little heart) was having none of it. During the song, Beth dropped herself into the moat and was helped by fans and security over the barrier so that she could walk through the audience belting it out, spreading love, and giving hugs to anyone who could lay a hand on her. For Beth, it seems, making music is not just about touching people, it's also about touching people...

The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control Live @Terminal 5 in NYC

And just because enough is never enough, Beth came back out for a minute afterwards to lead the crowd in a chorus of Queen's classic anthem We Are The Champions. Declarations of love were made. Warm-fuzzy feelings were had. And that, boys and girls, was The Gossip in NYC. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The Gossip. Beth Ditto. Happy Warm Fuzzies. Rainbows. Unicorns. Hugs.

G'nite babies. See you at the next show!