Cortney Dixon + So Good - Northern Quarter - Huddersfield
At the Northern Quarter Bar in Huddersfield for the last night of the “Two Blondes Don’t Make A Right!” mini-tour, featuring So Good and Courtney Dixon. Two performers known for their high energy performances and they didn’t disappoint.
Listening to their music on-line, does not do justice to the face melting live renditions of their songs.
First up, So Good. Featuring a masked drummer and bassist, as well as the punk princess Sophie, i.e. So Good. This maybe the cut down version of the band but they still immediately launched into an ear ringing rendition of “Inheritance” followed by “Hate”. An angry song that grew in intensity as the band bounce around the stage getting gradually more worked up and animated.
After dedicating the slightly more pop-y “I Hate It Here” to Kier Stamer (but not in a good way), normal service was resumed by “I Wish I Had” or “Dick” as it was referred to on the set list. This song emphasised So Good’s ability to create surreal situations and visual lyrics that jab at male bravado.
After “Dick”, we were then introduced to the new single “Orange Juice and Milk” which we were advised not to drink at the same time, as Sophie had done for the artwork of the single and then spent the rest of the day throwing up curdled milk. Artists sometimes go a step too far for their art.
This song, a letter to a boyfriend, mixes harsh sarcasm with a wonderful harmony to the lyrics “I just love it when you tell me to calm down” which feels like a time bomb is about to blow.
Additional new songs were introduced continuing the momentum until “Bible” exploded with anger and animation to finish a great set. So Good “might not know if there is a god, or who she is” but she would have been happy to be in a small Hudderfield music venue on Friday night.
This set a high bar for Cortney to follow and image-wise the two acts provided an incredible contrast from So Good’s Doc Marten’s boots, chains and a beret coupled with a ready to rumble attitude, to Cortney’s silver high heel boots and her bouffanted blond hair that looked more like there was a Tammy Wynette/Dolly Parton tribute heading for the stage….
Oh how wrong you can be!
Once Cortney and her band arrived on stage, they kicked off with “Hello Halo”, introducing the driving guitars and drums for a set that was definitely not going anywhere near country and western!
With Cortney working on her first album, the set was an excellent mix of existing and new songs. So from new, we went into the originally, ultra-pop-y “Life Goes On” which had been given a very punky rework which provided an ideal launch pad for “Big Deal” to showcase the much stronger almost grunge-like guitar riffs.
Two more new songs that both managed to keep the pace building ready for “Love, Love, Love” which the band managed to keep bouncy and heavy at the same time. Looking back, I still don’t quite know how they achieved it. I think the light yet powerful ability of Cortney’s voice to cut through the guitars with a very distinctive style provides a unique sound that can be slightly disarming.
Heading into the final phase of the set there were more new songs sandwiching “In and Out” all the songs keeping the crowd moving and continuing to build to “If You Love Somebody, Don’t Fuck It Up” which has an anthemic feel during which there was a got a short call and response chant, before finishing a great night with “No Messiah”.
An excellent night with two very talented singer-songwriters who I hope will continue their growth over the coming year.