Review: Dum Dum Girls at Lido

As a young girl – we are talking 5 years old to around 13 – I was obsessed with Madonna, on so many levels. In some regards, I still am today. She brought me up to value womanhood over cuteness, to show nudity and see it for the great creation that it is, to not care all that much about what other people think about you. I might be given a bit too much credit to Madonna here and not enough to my parents, but you know, I am trying to make a point.

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The point in question is that young people need idols and that in Pop’n’Rock female idols are still far and between. For me personally, Dee Dee Dum Dum is one to fulfil that role with bravo. She is talented, confident, sexy. And she goes on stage, night after night, with a see-through top, only nipples covered, and wears it in a way that every woman wants to be *that* woman. It’s wonderful to watch.

Imagery aside, the new Dum Dum Girls album is the best yet and a brave step into a darker sound for Dee Dee. You hear Pretenders and you hear Bangles but you also hear more melancholy and a heartfelt sound. Truth be told, I am absolutely addicted to “Too True”. It’s the album I put on as I leave work and the one I listen to when I get ready for a night out. It was the album of our California desert holiday, a record the whole family could agree on.


Gary had seen Dum Dum Girls at Coachella, had told me about a great show. Suffice to say, I was super excited for this night at Berlin’s Lido. And Dum Dum Girls did not disappoint. The stage set-up with a big blue glowing heart, the band’s outfits, the rich guitar sound (three guitars!) – the band was giving a great performance and show. They mainly played the songs from “Too True” and that was just fine by me.

What was disappointing was the audience. Granted, it was hot and humid and they had traded in some summer outdoors time for stinky indoors in order to see Dum Dum Girls. But at the same time, you would have thought there would have been more appreciation on their part. The crowd was stiff, to say the least. No dancing, no joy or excitement. Just staring and some some swaying was the most that would be coming from this crowd. And I suppose this is the only negative thing I could say about Dum Dum Girls that night: They could not turn it around. As great as their performance was and as much as I was admiring that woman in front of me, they were playing in front of and not with the people. As far as an experience goes, the spark was missing.

Needless to say, I still cherished every moment of it. I wish I could have seen them in the heat of the desert like my husband, but I was still mesmerised by the beauty that is one of my favourite artists.

Pic by Meshell - Thank you!