Dirty Harry both have reputations as being a) terrible, but with a very gorgeous lead singer,
or b) stunning, with a very gorgeous lead singer. Well one thing is true - they do have a very
gorgeous lead singer. Like Debbie Harry with long hair, a nice side-line in Westwood modelling
and a penchant for a bit of rough. But she's already a star in her own mind, pouting and pointing
like a pubescent boy's wet dream in bitch form, oozing a sultriness complemented by the slick
execution of metallic rock behind her; then pulling a strop when the mikes keep breaking down,
though apologising at the end of the song for the technical difficulties that always plague their
jaunts up here. As for the music, erm, can I pass? A stage show designed to fulfil every 12 year
old male's fantasy has little effect on a 20 year old heterosexual female. It can't distract from
the fact that this is middle-of -the-road, average fayre, and quite frankly I'm bored. A teen-boy
wank fantasy - but only if he's deaf.
Similar misfortune seems to have struck Boy Hits car every time they play here too - last time they
were here, they played to a crowd of 30 people, having been booked against emo-punk heroes The Ataris.
Tonight they've faired a little better, having been placed against Roni Size Reprazent, so those of us
who were there before feel a little older this time round. And a little wiser. While the lead singer
looks disturbingly like whathishair from Toploader, they'll be no dancing in the moonlight tonight.
Unless it's topless around a beach fire. Boy Hits Car deal in a mix of emocore, metal and Eastern
Hindu mysticism, with a view to teach, unify and liberate. "Each of you has a gift to give to the
world," he eulogises, and tonight it's easy to believe it.
Maybe you're getting the impression that this is like some wishy-washy cult, with some itinerant
preacher lecturing to his fans. Not quite - when was the last time you saw a southern Baptist minister
swinging like a monkey from the lighting rig above his congregation? When was the last time you saw
crowd-surfers at a healing session? When was the last time you came out of a church battered and bruised
but feeling euphoric? Their cult appeal is soon to go international.
Bigger than Jesus? Maybe not.
Bigger than Lennon? Well...
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