The M4 Tour - an offshoot of the Exposure Music Awards and an event modestly sponsored by us here at Tourdates Towers - landed at the Purple Turtle last week as a necessary corrective to Keane who were playing across the road at Koko.

Of the bands on show, most un-Keane-like (and, consequently, best) were the mighty We Rock Like Girls Don’t, who tourdates first encountered as a three-piece some years ago. They have since slimmed-down to a duo without losing an ounce of the visceral ferocity that always made them such a compelling live act.

Comparisons with PJ Harvey are justified, though WRLGD prefer to leave all the rough edges on show and refuse to indulge in shoe-gazy self-analysis - their songs are raw, cathartic and to-the-point, brilliant live material, in other words. ‘Violence’ and ‘I Just Want To Stick My Head In The Bass Drum’ were highlights, but a punchy set never sagged for a moment. Check them out on our website and catch them live. Terrific.

Richard Hodkinson
Photo: londontourpix