Shopping

Shopping
Pianos
New York, NY
October 14, 2015
Review by David Chiu

Definitely one of the highlights from this year’s edition of CMJ was British indie rock trio Shopping’s New York City performance debut. I fell in love with the band’s music ever since listening to its latest record, Why Choose, for its danceable post-punk music—sort of a cross between Gang of Four and the Slits but still sounding like 2015 and not stuck in the past. And if it sounded energetic on record, Shopping’s music was a barnstormer live when the trio of singer/guitarist Rachel Aggs, bassist Billy Easter, and drummer Andrew Milk played a very spirited and tight set in the upstairs of Pianos. You could feel the floor shake a bit because the performance was so lively: Aggs delivered some fiesty, brash vocals and guitar; Easter’s penetrating bass lines fueled the music; and Milk’s commanding drumming was fierce as it was machine-like. Next time when this band hits your town, go out and see them–Shopping’s going somewhere and you want to be able to tell friends that you were there in the beginning before the band explodes.