01 October 2007 (gig)
05 October 2007
As a general rule of thumb, it is perilous for a Hollywood actor to venture from screen to stage. A hotline to Jerry Bruckheimer will simply not cut the mustard on the guitar scene. (Witness Keanu Reeve's derisory effort as bass player for post grunge band Dogstar). The fact is, the teenage fans who screech at summer premieres at Leicester Square will not unquestionably follow you to Brixton Academy.
Authenticity is the problem. Actors, by definition, act. Audiences want their rock stars to be showy, but they also want to believe that, short of biting the heads of nocturnal winged rodents, they are borderline crazy. For
all the column inches they generate, the J-Los and Nicole Kidmans of this world are simply too straight laced to warrant the jealous admiration of a gaggle of thrashing heads.
Juliette Lewis, judging by the O2Indigo on Sunday night, proves the exception. Not only does the Natural Born Killer diva look hell-for-leather uproarious as she thrusts about stage, but she has a gutsy, piercing throat to boot. Her so far short but successful stint with the Licks is bequeathing to the American West Coast and our Albion a new dark darling; although on both shores, the garage rock group still has some work to do - the Licks' spry underrated single Hot Kiss from album Four on the Floor reached just number 50 in the UK charts last year.
But with sets supporting Muse and the Foo Fighters, the Licks are making an impression here as was evident from the solid support from this night's audience. Sumptuous single Sticky Honey works wonderfully in a live venue
with the band supplying sterling, stringy thunder. Lewis' Indian feather headgear raid on the wardrobe from the set of Dances with Wolves is fast marking out a trademark look, even if it does look a little contrived (you half expect to see some plastic cacti on stage). Without question though,
film's recent loss is rock's new terrain.
