[ originally published 20/10/2018 ]
MARIKA HACKMAN
The Gate, Cardiff - 29th February 2020
Support: Do Nothing
Marika Hackman's most recent album (at the time) was 2019's 'Any Human Friend'. It rated right up there among my top 5 records of the year. It seemed to come from nowhere, at least for me. The only thing I'd heard of hers before was her previous album which was very good in parts, but everything else had passed me by. The single The One, which seemed to pay more than just a little homage to Blondie's Heart Of Glass, cajoled me into investigating Marika's wider catalogue, while the filthy follow-up single All Night convinced MrsRobster to join the party.
We'd not been to The Gate for a few years so it was good to be back, it's a nice little place, though not the sort of place I would normally expect to see support band Do Nothing. Their recent single Lebron James had been plastered across alternative radio stations and firmly cemented their place in the slew of up-and-coming post-punk bands on the scene. They were enjoyable, though I wasn't entirely sure at the time whether they'd stand out enough from the crowd to build on that early promise.
Marika and her band were great, though. The set contained many tracks from the most recent album, a handful from its predecessor 'I'm Not Your Man' and a couple of surprises. Highlights for me were The One, All Night, I'm Not Where You Are and Time's Been Reckless, while her cover of Elliot Smith's Between The Bars sent tingles through me.
The night was tinged with strangeness, though. The audience wasn't exactly large, but there was something in the air that I reckon kept some at home, and there were pockets where larger gaps between people than usual were evident. Within a few weeks, we would all be confined to our homes and gigs were not on the agenda. Which was a shame as this was a good start to the year. I hoped it wouldn't be long before we were back out again...
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