The home of KITE, TR/ST, ADULT. and DRAB MAJESTY, US independent label Dais Records sent two of their acclaimed female synthpop acts Geneva Jacuzzi and Riki out on a UK and European tour.

Based in Los Angeles, Geneva Jacuzzi first brought her brand of avant-pop to the world with the bedroom recorded ‘Lamaze’ in 2010. Her second more polished long player ‘Technophelia’ followed in 2016 but while her third album ‘Triple Places’ didn’t appear until 2024, during the interregnum, she was working in performance art, live theatre, set design, costuming, makeup and set decoration.

Also from Los Angeles, Riki was the synth player of goth punk band CRIMSON SCARLET before taking the plunge to go solo in 2017 with the single ‘Hot City’ and releasing her self-titled debut in 2020. With a vibrant punchy style of synthpop incorporating Italo disco and new romantic influences, her most recent album ‘Gold’ came out in 2021.

But opening the evening as the local support was Spike, the synthcentric nom de théâtre of London-based singer-songwriter Hannah McLoughlin. With her macabre disco dealing with the undead and the inhuman, it was perhaps no big surprise that her set included a deadpan electronic cover of Warren Zevon’s ‘Werewolves Of London’. In an idiosyncratic live presentation including taped snippets of other’s songs inbetween her own, one of her tunes ‘Tiquetonne’ interpolated ‘Con Te Partiro’ aka ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ as made famous by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, and captured her enjoyable melancholic eccentricity.

Dressed mostly in black but contrasted with a white T-shirt and red gloves, Riki arrived on the stage like she had just been to a West Berlin night club circa 1984. Suitably Germanic songs such as ‘Strohmann’ and ‘Böse Lügen’ fitted in that image perfectly with big industrialised percussive sounds, while her most recent single ‘SAS (For Those Who Speak and Spake)’ exuded that Mittel Europa chic. The aural template of songs like ‘Lo’ and ‘Napoleon’ recalled American band BOOK OF LOVE who opened for DEPECHE MODE and were produced by Flood back in the day but to close, Riki went back to her punkier roots with a feisty energetic rendition of ‘Earth Song’.

Geneva Jacuzzi made a statement from the start that this was to be no mere gig as she appeared with a black and white cone over her face as part of a striking costume that also inventively featured flexible ducting hose for arms. Flanked by two male dancers in leotards vogueing and assisting when appropriate, it was like watching ‘The Masked Singer’ on hallucinogenics!

After venturing into audience and declaring ‘Art Is Dangerous’, the time came to “TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!” but the show delightfully did not get any less weirder. Combining the mannerisms of Gina X, Lene Lovich and Jyl vocally and visually, this was an ironic celebration of the subversive potential and absurdity of all art.

As the DAF flavoured ‘Casket’ provided an appropriately horror film edge, the bouncy arty Italo of ‘Cannibal Babies’ saw Geneva Jacuzzi peak over a circular spiral screen but ‘Laps Of Luxury’ saw her make shadow movements behind it along as her dancers pulled shapes behind their own square and triangle variants.

During ‘One Colored Rooms’, she beckoned the crowd to create channel for her to parade with her dancers to the far end of the Moth Club while beach balls and balloons flew over people’s heads. If there were any health and safety concerns, no-one really cared as smiles and astonishment were on faces all around.

A song about being ghosted following a date, ‘Dry’ observed how the modern approach to love via technology can alter amount of value placed on proper human interactions. However, this brilliant actually tune provided an immediate connection to the audience with its memorable repeatable chorus.

‘Do I Sad?’ brought a YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA sparkle despite its title while dangling her ducting hose arms to the oozy ballad ‘Yo-Yo Boy’ to finish, the quirky spectacle summed up Geneva Jacuzzi and her surreal brand of entertainment. With a brilliant presentation of theatrics and performance art, this was a joyous experience that also happened to include catchy hook-laden synthpop.

Witnessed by lively diverse audience of all ages, ethnicities and sexualities, it was a fabulous evening showcasing three talented artists who proved once again that in modern synthpop, the feminine touch really is best.

With thanks to Frankie Davison at Stereo Sanctity

‘Triple Fire’ by Geneva Jacuzzi is released by Dais Records, available from https://genevajacuzzi.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.genevajacuzzi.com/

https://www.facebook.com/genevajacuzziofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/genevaxjacuzzi/

Riki’s album ‘Gold’ are released by Dais Records, available from https://riki.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/riki.la.band

https://www.instagram.com/riki.band/

The ‘S/T’ EP by Spike is released by God Nation on 25 February 2025, pre-order from https://gobnation.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-4

https://www.instagram.com/__s.p.i.k.e.__/

Text and Photos by Chi Ming Lai
19 February 2025