The Trocadero was on fire Friday, set ablaze by the searing punk of all-female act L7. The ladies ripped through 21 songs, showcasing their trademark ferocity and a precision that has only gained rage and luster since their beginnings in 1985. Here are some photos and highlights from the night.
1. The Troc was a great big wonderful madhouse.
The mosh-happy audience sang along and ate up the laser-sharp intensity of the L7 set. Donita Sparks and Jennifer Finch shredded while whipping out their trademark, gravity-defying hair act. Suzi Gardner’s guitar artistry and Demetra Plakas’ drumming sounded superb, revealing the sound of L7 to be as relevant as ever. Their classic “Pretend We’re Dead” sounded amazing: “Turn the tables with our unity,” they chant. “When we pretend that we’re dead/ They can’t hear a word we’ve said.”
2. The new songs gave us a taste of what’s to come.
With two new tunes at their disposal, “Dispatch from Mar-A-Lago” and “I Came Back to Bitch,” L7 are back to their old tricks. Both songs are must-listens, with the latter laying the groundwork for the necessary re-emergence of L7. With fierce determination (“I’ll kick your ass boy”) and a new hierarchy (“…I’m the big dog”/”You’re simply the bone”), L7 are ready to be the rock necessary for 2018 and beyond.
3. They like us, they really like us.
Darting about a stage filled with pink, blue and purple lights, L7 brought the musical goods the audience wanted. From the opening chords of the night’s first song, “Deathwish,” to the classic refrain of “Shitlist” that closed out the main set, L7 were on fire. They made sure to say how much they love Philly and the Trocadero. And with a new record on the horizon, you better believe they’ll be back in our territory soon.
4. Death Valley Girls opened with a bite-sized set of raucous rock and roll.
The quartet sparred with their guitars, darted into and out of the bright spotlights and won over some new fans with material from their 2016 work Glow in the Dark.
