JAKE SHEARS ‘LAST MAN DANCING’ ALBUM, AND ALBUM LAUNCH LIVE SHOWS JUNE 2023
Words by Patrick Cawley
Jake Shears is once again taking the world by storm, after releasing his extremely raw and provocative memoir, and then sitting through the pandemic with little creative outlet like the rest of us, he is back in the limelight with a series of UK shows, appearances, and festivals, a brand new album, ‘Last Man Dancing’. We all know and love Jake as the frontman for the Scissor Sisters, who have absolutely stunned the world, and particularly the UK for the past 20 years, with an impressive nine top 20 uk singles, four top 10 albums, three BRIT awards and countless other accolades, a solo project by the front man was always going to be a gamble. Jake’s first, self titled album did not disappoint, gammering universal acclaim, and proving that Jake is here to slay.
Now, just in time for international Pride month, Jake is back with his second solo album, and I went down to Concorde 2 on June 1st to see his sold out album launch show, even though the album wasn’t out until midnight, Jake had released ’Too Much Music’ ‘I Used to be in Love’ and a couple of other teasers to get fans into the mood, and I for one was so excited at the glittery disco / glam rock vibes that these had been giving off.
Jake is no stranger to Brighton, from a sold out show at the Brighton Centre in 2006, where I got to DJ with official tour DJ Sammy Jo at Revenge Club for the afterparty, to a signing at Churchill Square HMV, to Brighton Pride performances, and also previous shows at Concorde 2, Jake told the crowd “I love it here, this feels like coming home for me” the crowd screamed with joy and plastic cups filled with the last drips of rushed drinks before the sold out crowd rushed to get their positions for the show.
The setlist opened with tracks from ‘Last Man Dancing’, and a couple of Scissor sisters classics, before Jake brought out Brighton’s very own Snow White Trash to join him for his 2015 solo single ‘Creep City’ followed by the iconic ‘Laura’, ‘’I Don’t Feel Like Dancing’ Take Your Mama’,and the title track from this new album with a surprise feature of George Michael’s ‘Freedom 90’ spliced in between, everyone went wild. The sense of Pride for our very own Snow White Trash showcasing her incredible talent with such a musical icon was palpable, and gorgeous. I chatted to Snow both before the show and afterwards for her post show solo performance at Legends Bar, she told me how blessed she was that, ‘its such an honour I honestly can’t believe it, and appreciate everyone’s love and support more than I can even put into words’.
We were then treated to ‘Devil Came Down the Dancefloor’ showcasing the infectious synth drenched vocal powerhouse that Jake is, ’8 ball’, an instrumental journey down a no doubt debauched, in all the right ways, Saturday night in New York City, in a wig and high heels, and then ‘Mess of Me’ oozing a soulful Bee-Gee-esque good time swept very much into a 2023 packed nightclub.
A real highlight of both the album and the live show, ‘Voices’, Jakes latest, and I’m going to say, most fabulous Kylie Minogue collaboration yet, he told the crowd how much he adored her and that they work together all of the time. ‘Voices’ is such a fabulously camp Disco Anthem that you almost get covered in glitter by just listening to it. It really makes you feel like you would have given anything to be at that recording session, bubbly in hand, lapping up all of the electric chemistry. I can’t wait to play this track at a pride event.
Much like recent efforts by the likes of Dua Lipa, Jessie Ware and Jake’s mate Kylie, this album proves that camp Disco-esue, glam rock, dance floor sing-alongs are the perfect recipe for a joyous night of dancing in 2023, and beyond, Disco isn’t dead! and neither is the sense of joy that the Scissor Sisters brought to every LQBTQ hotspot in the 00’s, the frontman is back, belting out
‘I don’t know about you
But I’m really big deal
I ain’t playing no dress-up
I look exactly how I feel’
Jake is here in his sequinned, unbuttoned jumpsuit ready to take his crown as a Queer Icon & Superstar!
