Currently commemorating the 2022 30th anniversary of their third album, 'Bricks Are Heavy', the 'original', and most prominent incarnation of L7 reconvened in 2014 following a near 15-year hiatus.
Pre-dating both the grunge and riot grrrl scenes, with perhaps a foot in both camps to a degree but not entirely, L7 were able to hold their own among the early '90s surge of predominantly, testosterone-fuelled rock & roll.De facto leader Donita Sparks has stated they wanted to be seen on their own merits and not as women, the name L7 chosen as being appropriately gender nonspecific. However, discussion of sexuality and gender is somewhat unavoidable especially given the reports of an infamous act involving a female sanitary product.
Their, at times, abstract lyrical content continues to address politics and gender dynamics, especially when comeback singles 'Dispatch From Mar-a-Lago' and 'I Came Back To Bitch' share the apathy and disdain of their former material.
Given their return was contemporaneous with the rise of the Me Too movement, although it is a far different world than the '90s, has that much changed really? The relevancy of their song content remains unchanged in a contemporary landscape rife with war and domestic violence.
Support for the evening (12 December) is the not incongruous dynamic surf-guitar stylings of Adelaide locals Los Palms who could easily be mistaken for Americans with their competent performance of Nuggets-style garage rock. Frontman Ant Candlish reveals drummer Eli and Michael on guitar have only had two practises before tonight's show.
L7's set is another beast entirely. Commencing with guitarist and vocalist Sparks simulating the Yoko Ono-sampled abstract war-cry, they dive headfirst into the album (most likely as the conscious choice of album sequencing intended) with the self-described math-rock of 'Wargasm'.
While Sparks and bassist Jennifer Finch head-bang in choreographed unison reminiscent of '80s hair metal, Suzie Gardner on guitar and vocals is stage left wearing novelty cats ears bringing to mind Josie and the Pussycats, with Dee Plakas providing the bedrock on drums.
This opening salvo is followed by the dirge of 'Scrap' before 'Pretend We're Dead' is preceded by Sparks commenting that most bands don't usually play their biggest hit three songs in, and that they should lock the doors to not let anybody out.
The first half of 'Bricks Are Heavy' is played in sequence with Sparks introducing 'Diet Pill' as being about domestic abuse revenge, Finch taking lead vocals on 'Everglade' and Gardner supplying her low-end howl on 'Slide'.
Early on there is little in the way of in-between song banter although Finch takes a moment to introduce the band and herself, ending with "and on the flying vagina. . . Donita Sparks".
The vocals continue to be shared among the band, the sludge anthem of 'One More Thing' sung by Finch and on the no frills rock & roll of 'Mr. Integrity', Spark's closing vocal melody lifted from the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' 'Walk Like A Man' is more noticeable than on the record.
Gardner again lends her gravelly, witchy howl to 'Monster' and it is a shame she doesn't sing lead on more songs while Sparks, Finch and Plakas give the song a pop sensibility with their backing vocals.
Sparks again channels Yoko Ono in the near audience sing-along 'Sh.tlist' before a Black Sabbath-like intro leads into album closer 'This Ain't Pleasure'. Gardner announces: "That was our homage to the long playing album," but there's no let up as the band continues with 'Andres', a song popular enough to be requested (but not played again) later.
'Fuel My Fire' is as fine an example of the band's lyrical apathy and spite, and with the audience and band alike worked up, and with regard to Adelaide's weather woes in recent days, it's as wet inside as it is outside.
Sandwiched between two songs ('Stadium West' and 'Fighting The Crave') from the most recent LP 'Scatter The Rats', there is the semi respite of 'Non-Existent Patricia', introduced by Sparks: "This is for all the wallflowers and whistleblowers," before 'Fighting The Crave' is preceded by Gardner's introduction: "This one's for the scumbags in the house."
Following 'Human', Gardner declares she played a few bonus notes, Sparks adding: "We don't play to tapes. We make mistakes," and Finch confesses she had earlier played a whole other song over the top of 'Slide'.
'Shove' comes across as the peak of the band's lyrical apathy and disdain, but is a surprising audience sing-along. 'Dispatch From Mar-a-lago' closes the main portion of the set before the band return to encore with the sludge cover version of the obscure 'American Society'.
While the final song, 'Fast And Frightening' has the audience moshing harder than before, Gardner playing a two-note ambulance siren drone into the song's ending, the set ending with an audience cheering for more.
