Live review: Breakup Haircut's debut album launch
Words and photos by Zahra Ahmad
IG: @zahrawritespoems
Breakup Haircut’s debut album ‘Punk Dancing for Self Defence’ has been long in the making. The anticipation and excitement around Breakup Haircut playing their album launch at The Lexington back in July was heightened following the extended lull for music venues, gigs, and the scene as a whole during the pandemic. Their fast-paced, punchy full-length album featuring 15 songs – some from previous releases, and others written over the pandemic – came to life onstage.
Breakup Haircut formed in 2019 and had a limited run of playing shows before the peak of lockdowns and social isolation. The band came together through First Timers, an initiative working to diversify the music scene and platform artists from marginalised backgrounds. Connecting through the First Timers Facebook group, the self-described “ragtag team”, Ishani, Ripley, Delphine and Jordan set out to make music about their lived experiences, making their debut at First Timers Fest in May 2019.
Fast forward to summer 2022, and upstairs at a sold-out show at The Lexington on a warm Friday evening, a diverse crowd of people bustled in from work to enjoy an evening of music and high energy for their debut album launch.
Opening for them were the feminist synth pop stylings of Panic Pocket, a duo offering smooth melodic vocals and a lo-fi ambient vibe. Switching up the energy, next up was Breakfast with Bears, a growly fast-paced five-piece emo punk band from London. The crowd cheered as MC for the evening, Alex Ekong of the first man on mars introduced Breakup Haircut.
The band launched into their 20-track set, featuring every song they have ever written together. Bassist, Ripley, began the show with a few jumpy bass lines, before drummer Jordan stepped in with a Fall Out Boy-esque drum beat for ‘I (Don’t) Wanna Do Things’, the first track off their 2019 release ‘What Did You Expect? I Got It Off The Internet’. This was followed by ‘I Wish’, lead guitarist Delphine’s songwriting debut. The song offered screamy vocals and high energy, culminating in rhythmic chants and loud drums to the words, “I wish I never met you”. Next came ‘Marie Kondo’, a pop culture reference to a famous Japanese personality known for her tidying and organising skills and tips, appropriate for the song’s chorus: “In my dream house there's room for me to curl up in a neat little corner”.
Singer and guitarist Ishani
Frontwoman, Ishani was definitely in her element this evening. Rocking a gorgeous two-piece gold suit and slick white trainers, she held the crowd’s awe and attention with her vocal range and her signature purple heart-shaped guitar, contrasting with the band’s broken heart logo. Ishani’s energy, passion and care could be seen in how she danced around the stage, joked with her bandmates, and checked in with everyone throughout the show. Speaking to her later, I asked her what it meant to be a South Asian woman in the industry. She spoke of loving certain elements of Indian culture but also prioritising her own values and freedom too, echoing a delicate balance most third culture kids can identify with – growing up in the West, but having roots in the Global South. Ishani learnt music from a young age, teaching herself guitar and many other instruments in her teenage years. She feels the band has given her a sense of belonging and connection that she had long been searching for. It is wonderful to see a South Asian frontwoman in a scene which is so white, male-dominated and inaccessible to outsiders. I truly felt seen and welcomed in this crowd.
This four-piece had undeniable authenticity about them. It was clear that these were friends who loved writing and performing music together, and it is this authenticity and humility which resonated most with me. Their songs offered honest and thoughtful social commentary about their lived experiences. ‘No Excuses’, beginning with a groovy bass line, featured bass master Ripley on vocals, and touched on the relatable experience of existing on the margins of society, battling with social anxiety, and feeling like you don’t belong. Breakup Haircut’s genre-defying talent really shone in this track – self-proclaimed as “sometimes pop, sometimes punk.”
Equally relatable on the set list was iconic escapist anthem ‘Why Can’t I Be Cool Enough To Move To Berlin?’ which disclosed the bitter truth about being on Prozac; ‘Can I Borrow a Feeling’ also known as ‘Milhouse’, catering to Simpsons fans in the room; and ‘Out Of My Way (I’m Not Getting On The Night Bus)’ starting slow with electric guitar, and ending with the crowd triumphantly screaming the song title.
Lead guitarist Delphine and fontperson Ishani rocking out onstage
‘Valentines’, dedicated to lead singer Ishani’s fiancé, was a slow-tempo ballad. Tugging at heartstrings, the infectious chorus, ‘I’m so glad you love me like I love you’, was repeated – demanding to be heard, and felt. The bridge section featured the whole band vocalising ‘I don’t come home to you, I come home’ – a beautiful way to bring this touching, earnest piece together. It definitely felt like a missed opportunity to get everyone in the room to take out their phones and lighters to create a starry ambience fitting for the vibe.
Most recognisable in Breakup Haircut’s set, was their energy and sense of fun and enjoyment as a group working together to create something unique and meaningful. When speaking to Ishani after the show, she reminisced on their journey as a band since their beginnings, recognising that there is now “complete trust in co-creating work and creating something that feels loyal and true to us all.” This can be seen in how flexible they are in blending different influences within their songs, and seamlessly moving from a fast-paced defiant punk track to a groovy pop ballad. The spirit of punk was most present in tracks like ‘Life is Short’ which spoke to a universal dissatisfaction toward a day job, observing that “Life is short but it’s the longest thing that I’ll ever do/ I don’t wanna spend it all working for you”. On vocals for ‘Sugar Cereal’, bassist Ripley echoed similar sentiments, lamenting the reality of adulthood, accurately encapsulated in: “Send emails all day so I can pay my rent/ Watching the world outside drift away”. I can attest to most days at work feeling like this.
Bringing their set list to a close with a rock rendition of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’, they brought host Alex back on stage to support on vocals, and the room was filled with a nostalgic chaotic energy, everyone shrieking to the chorus – a fun way to end the show.
From start to finish, the evening was full of so much talent, dynamic energy, humour and fun. I’m grateful to have witnessed Breakup Haircut’s debut album launch and I cannot wait to see what is in store for this band in the future. Highlighting the lack of representation in the industry at the start of their set, they observed, “Sometimes you have to be what you can’t see.” An inspiring statement from a band with a bright future ahead of them.
About Zahra
Zahra Ahmad is a performance poet and writer based in London. Her writing focuses on themes including identity, mental health and navigating life as a Muslim British-Bangladeshi woman. Graduating in History from King’s College London, she loves reading about the history of various subcultures and is fascinated by the alternative scene. Zahra plays drums and loves going to pop punk and emo gigs.