With Dream Wife in town for a sold-out show, following the release of their third album Social Lubrication last year, tonight’s the night for bad bitches in Clwb Ifor Bach. And, in case you’re wondering, frontwoman Rakel Mjöll explains that “to be a bad bitch has absolutely nothing to do with gender… all you have to do to be a bad bitch is support your fellow bad bitches.”
Appearing onstage to the sound of Cascada’s Everytime We Touch, the Brighton-formed punk band waste no time in delivering the bangers. The title track from their latest album kicks things off, before a vicious Hey Heartbreaker roars into life straight after, followed by Love You More and So When You Gonna…. There’s barely a moment to breathe Clwb’s wet sweaty air this evening before the belter that is Hot (Don’t Date A Musician) is aired too, and the chemistry and love on stage between the three members is ridiculous – they’re clearly having an obscene amount of fun and so are we.
Somebody, dedicated to both the bad bitches in the rooms and to the band’s trans buddies, is a powerful moment in the set while Sports! sees the room split in two for an ultimate battle after which (in the end) everyone’s a winner. Bassist Bella Podpadec’s parents are also in attendance tonight which leads to Mjöll shouting them out on stage and Podpadec themselves dedicating Curious to both their parents and “all the bisexual polyamorous people in the room!”. There’s also a shoutout to guitarist Alice Go’s fiancée – author Daisy Jones, not actually in attendance this evening – before a cover of t.A.T.u’s All The Things She Said (which Jones’ most recent book is named after).
Recent-ish single Leech is greeted with a shout of “what a fucking song!” from an anonymous (and right) crowd member before an extended version of F.U.U wraps up the night. The sign on the door as you enter the room declares a Dream Wife show to be an inclusive space, and it really is. Tonight is beautiful inclusive punk chaos and it’s brilliant.
Dream Wife, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Tue 13 Feb
words JOSHUA WILLIAMS photos JOSEPH ELIJAH