Stazi - Live In Manchester
[Club Suicide]

As the mighty Club Suicide makes a welcome return, Manchester's best kept secret Stazi play to a handful of devotees and do not disappoint. For those that are not aware, Stazi are a faux German pop synth duo signed to Chips Records. In reality, they are Joe Robinson of Mum&Dad fame and a 6' something Jarvis Cocker lookalike. Armed only with a sampler, Robinson delivers unbelievably catchy pop songs mixed with hard beats and cheesy rhythms. Imagine if Kraftwerk were a Northern Soul band and you're halfway there.

Two songs in and we are treated to a blistering version of their 'How Sleazy Do You Want It' single, the audience lap up every minute. The key role here is their charismatic frontman Owen, looking at him you'd think he was in 1977, as part of New York's influential Suicide. Seeing this gangly giant singing high pitched and dancing makes you feel incredibly at ease, well if he can act like that and remain his coolness, why can't the crowd? And so they dance.

The fabulous combo are joined onstage by 2 of their gimps who could outdo Bez in a flash for the King of Dancing Muppet title. We're treated to their lovely 'The Drifter' track, and a fierce version of future single, 'Put Your Loving Arms', which samples the guitar riff off Guns N Roses 'Sweet Child O' Mine'. Before you're sick, you should hear it, it's a classic. Tonight, the audience are putty in Stazi's hands, and you get the impression they know it. For closer 'Torville and Dean', the stage is overtaken by a 9 strong army of Troupe dancers, weird!

Sure, it was a relatively short set, but quality overrides quantity any day of the week. Stazi are incredibly important right now, a refreshing contrast to lame punk bands. Please buy their debut single, you're life will be so much better for it. Essential.