THE BIG MOON go on their biggest headline tour to date with a stop at London’s Scala.

The Big Moon have undoubtedly been on a roll this past couple of months. Now, embarking on their first UK headline tour they challenge themselves as live performers.

After being entertained by the supporting bands Abattoir Blues and Trudy And The Romance it is time for the women of the night.

The Big Moon walk on stage to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s Sexual Healing, which would have not been my first choice when it comes to this band, but somehow it works.

Loud cheers welcome the girls as they open with their latest single Silent Movie Susie. Catchy rhythms of the track Nothing Without You follow next and the crowd responds with a massive sing-along. Frontwoman, Juliette Jackson, can only say: “It’s like Christmas!” just to hear a shout “Happy Hanukkah!” back from the audience. Well, it certainly feels like a holiday for some.

The London-based girl gang showcases brilliant, raw guitar-driven Eureka Moment and infectious fan-favourite Cupid which thoroughly uncover the downright and ironic lyrical side of the band. Their successful take on Madonna’s Beautiful Stranger also draws the attention as the crowd gets more and more raucous.

There’s no doubt The Big Moon bring some fresh ideas to the music scene. Their vibrant sound impresses at times but somehow lacks in variety too. The performance falls a tad monotonous and predictable. It may appear that the band is either overwhelmed with the reception from the audience or is just not confident enough, or they simply try too hard.

Songs Pull The Other One, Love In The 4th or The Road don’t cast any shadow of deeper expression or leave any long-lasting sensation. What’s more, Jackson’s vocal range sets a steady pace. There’s no space for high-reaching notes or profound timbre. Luckily, Fern Ford’s drum work is determinate and builds up nicely what indisputably patches and strengthens the dynamic between all members of the band.

Nevertheless, the incontestable stand-out of the night sets a captivating offering Formidable. Low-tempo tune but the kind that flashes with vigorous spirit and hidden energy. We hope to be served with more tracks as such in the near future.

As we head towards the end of the set the song Bonfire opens the opportunity to engage with the fans. After a long time of indecisive teasing, the lead singer finally dares to stage dive. Despite the fact, the crowdsurfing lasts a few seconds it certainly is a brave move to test the audience.

The punchy Sucker finishes off the set which underlines a fixed composition of tonight’s set that we’ve been presented. Of course, there are many suckers for these girls but there are also a few who are expecting a little bit more.

Surely, the unequivocal potential lies within the band, and their talent is yet to be improved just as their live performance is yet to be mastered. At this point however, they should give bigger credit respectively to their fans and themselves so it all comes naturally.

As far as this goes, they indeed are just getting started and you certainly will be hearing much more about The Big Moon as they hit the road to conquer the music world. Will they succeed? Well, I guess we can only wait, keep our eyes peeled and our ears open for what they decide to bring along.

Photos: Kasia Osowiecka