Photos & Words John Hayhurst
The transformation of Rotherham girl Rebecca Lucy Taylor from Slow Club to Self Esteem is nothing short of remarkable, in 2021 she creates arguably the best album of the year Prioritise Pleasure, she then casually drops in at Latitude Festival unannounced and steals the show. Several gigs and festivals later and nominations at both the Brits and the NME awards arrive. She is doing something right that resonates with the commercially sponsored crowd and the kids (If NME can still be referred to as Kids).
It is packed in here, and the temperature is already high and that’s without Self Esteem generating more than enough heat to burn the front row. Backed by her suited singers/dancers and drummer she arrives at the back of the stage on a slightly raised plinth, all spotlights pinned on her. We are ready to go with I’m Fine and on the backdrop it says “there’s nothing that terrifies a man more than a woman that appears completely deranged” a song that breeds female empowerment and even the many blokes in here are joining in with the wolf cries at the end.
As you would expect we get the majority of the latest album but spread in-between were tastes of her debut Compliments Please, tracks like Girl Crush and Favourite Problem sit very nicely alongside the new stuff, to the point where it feels like a banger after banger set – there really is no room to dance at the front so we just have to sweat it out.
There is a proper sense of this being a show that will be remembered for a long time, one of those “I was there” moments, great choreography, music, even some half decent lighting for a change. This production should really be across the road at the Arena rather than in a University basement.
I have to mention the stand out moment – I Do This All The Time, an incredibly powerful message spoken/sung by Taylor and with everyone in the room joining in, it gave you goosebumps, a message that should really be delivered on some of the biggest stages in the country and maybe one day it will. There is no stopping Self Esteem from doing this, she has the tunes, the moves and a powerful message to deliver, and I can’t honestly see anyone daring to stand in her way.
Setlist:
I’m Fine
Fucking Wizardry
Hobbies 2
Prioritise Pleasure
Girl Crush
Favourite Problem
(Hobbies)
How Can I Help You
Moody
You Forever
In Time
The 345
Just Kids
I Do This All The Time
Encore:
Still Reigning
The Best
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