Band of Scold!

We love a bit of Myra DuBois here at QX Towers, probably because we’re a bunch of sarcastic bitches and she reminds us of that one mad aunt with the questionable political views, and guess what, readers? She’s back with a one off ‘extravaganza’ at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, with a live band and everything! Dead fancy! We sent Jason Reid off for a chat with her ladyship this week…  

Tell us a bit about this upcoming ‘Live and In Concert’ show of yours, Myra. What should the punters expect?

It’s no less than an extravaganza, Jason! Very basically, it’s me and a band, but here’s the story. Last August I played Camden’s Roundhouse and I did one song with a full band for a variety night. It was exhilarating! Don’t get me wrong, I understand the appeal of backing tracks. They’re cheap, they don’t answer back and they don’t have a union. But you just can’t get the same energy as you can with five artists live on stage.

Safe to say you’re a big fan of keeping it live then?

Well, I’ve always done ‘live’ work, with my long-term collaborator Sarah Bodalbhai, who some of your readers will recognise as the Musical Director of the RVT Panto. She’s played piano for me for seven years now, and I want to take the work we’ve done to the next level. We’re throwing everything at this show. I’m having costumes made, I’ve had a logo designed and I’ve even, wait for it, REHEARSED!

And your band, The Spiders in Bras, who are they comprised of? 

Well, there’s the above mentioned Sarah on the keys, who read music classically at Cambridge but loves rock & roll and pop. On drums we have Dan Paton, who used to drum with quite a famous band! But before they were famous so I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell people. There’s Heidi Heelz who is all about the bass (I’ve no idea where she stands on ‘treble’), who is also in a glam all-girl rock outfit called ‘The Priscillas’. Finally, on saxophone we have ‘Thomas’ who is more of a fan than a colleague and only ended up in the band because he won a competition and that’s all I shall say about him.

Curious name. What’s the story behind that?

Well, in the 1970s there was an obscure indie artiste with a modest fan-base called “David Bowie”. His band at the time were called The Spiders from Mars, and my Spiders are a tribute to his. I wanted to call them ‘The Jobbing Musicians’ so they all knew they were replaceable but I was told it ‘didn’t roll off the tongue’.

Now lady, as we began this interview I was under the impression that this was going to be your last big London show, having decided to leave us for Manchester BUT like a true Gemini you’ve changed your mind…

Well, this is awkward. I was leaving London, honestly I was! I had a little hankie tied round a stick and everything. But I wasn’t even as far as Highgate Hill before voices in my head said “Turn Again Myra DuBois, Mayoress of London!” That’s the press story. The truth of the matter is that I was offered a place in Clapham.

Why did you want to leave? Had you been falling out of love with London? 

I had a little, and it’s talked about in the show. It’s just so depressing, reading about venue after venue being systemically shut down by greed-driven councils and property developers. It’s also not the warmest of cities and as a Northerner I miss friendly strangers. I miss people in shops who say “Ta love” when giving you your change. London can be a hard-faced old bitch – but you get out of her what you put back in so I’ve resolved to stay.

You mentioned about venues closing. Do you think it’s more difficult for cabaret performers to find work right now? 

You make your own work in show-business, I’ll say that much. No one’s hiring you for their show? Put on your own. I wanted to put on a show with a full band that an audience would leave really feeling like they’d seen their ticket money spent on the stage. No one was hiring me to do that show, so I put my own on!

• Myra DuBois ‘Live and In Concert with The Spiders in Bras’ is at the RVT (372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, SE11 5HY), doors 7.30pm, on Thursday 29th January. Tickets: myradubois.co.uk/concert

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