Solo artists breaking free from a band and a fanbase they collected on their way to the top can be a lonely place. Not for this enigmatic leading lady of former rock band Skunk Anansie. Skin excited her audience with songs from her forthcoming album that isn’t out until March. After belting out her latest single, 'Alone In My Room' which literally made the crowd go wild. She kept a traditionally rocky feel to this gig, dropping in some mild punk influences and sultry heart wrenching lyrics. She played songs from her Skunk days such as 'Hedonism', 'Charlie Big Potato' and an acoustic version of 'Weak'. Skin kept to her classic gritty and powerful routine with a psyched-up edge. Alongside playing both old hits and recent solo work, she tried out her future releases on the crowd, who took to them like old favourites. She mixed up a real lucky bag for her fans to sink their teeth into. The fans sang to all the songs they knew by being encouraged by the warm but feisty deliverance by Skin. Her wonderful interaction with the crowd got them all jumping the place down, whilst she jumped all over the stage, on the drums, speakers and the crowd. All the energy and excitement brought Skin to show her powerful presence and act like a kid in a sweet shop as well as a grown up in a sex shop. She demonstrated this by smiling sweetly at the crown almost bashfully whilst they were screaming for her, and responding by licking the microphone rather provocatively. Through her energetic style of performing came a deeper meaning as with all her songs, the crowd bask in the emotional escape she offers, everybody listens in admiration.This type of therapy must be paying off because she continually pleases with the silver tongued lyrics she is famous for, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the same faces on her return to Leeds next year.
Louise Goodwin saw Skin @ The Cockpit on Sunday 20 November 2005. Photos courtesy of Kelina Cowell.
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