GIG REVIEWS
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GIG REVIEWS |
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HALO FRIENDLIES
@ Leeds Cockpit July 7, 2003 www.vanguard-online.co.uk 
Their moniker may be a giveaway, but LA's Halo Friendlies are not your average Christian rock band. There's no mass exodus to the bar, for a start! Being religious myself, even I shudder at the thought of Christian rock simply because the vast majority of it languishes on the wrong side of cheesy and is devoid of any excitement. Yet these God-fearing girls proceed to wipe the floor with headliners Homegrown and the Early November with a sweaty, energetic set of sun-kissed pop-rock that falls somewhere in between the Bangles and the criminally-underrated Letters To Cleo. After the macho posturing and miserabilism of nu-metal, the Halos - along with fellow femme-punks Tuuli and the Donnas - are less a breath, more a blast of fresh air providing a thrilling summer soundtrack on this sticky, July evening. Front gals Judita Wignall and bassist Ginger Reyes trade sugary sweet vocals on selections from their two albums, the latest being the wonderful 'Get Real'. 'Sell Out', 'Milwaukee' and 'Selfish' are the sound of a multi-platinum arena-busting band in waiting. Indeed, these songs wouldn't sound out of place on some cute Rachael Leigh Cook teen flick. But for now, the Halo Friendlies have the arduous task of winning over British audiences in small, sweaty dives and, observing the overly gleeful Cockpit, the girls are succeeding magnificently. As bouncy guitarist Natalie Bolanos ends the set by diving into the crowd, the Halo Friendlies prove a tough act to follow. Offstage, these girls may ask the Lord for mercy but, on stage, as Kreese from 'The Karate Kid' would put it, mercy is for the weak and the Halos show none of it! Result. |