Now in their thirtieth year, the Tiger Lillies are truly something of a phenonemnum and almost impossible to adequately place in a single, or even two or three genres. Their act has a powerful sense of theatre coupled with an intimate association with the audience and displaying remarkable musical versatility throughout the show. In the words of their founder Martin Jaques, the Tiger Lillies are an ‘anarchic Brechtian street opera trio’ and there is certainly much of the theatrical music style of Brecht in works like ‘The Threepenny Opera’ in their presentation. There is also a strong influence of the pre-war decadence that marked Berlin before the Nazi era. Behind these facades however is a sophisticated attention to detail and serious musicianship. The London roots of the band come forth in the old traditions of singing around a piano before the days of television but this is coupled with a contemporary punk influence, even lifting an occasional line from the Sex Pistols and using frequently ribald language.
There is an overriding aspect to the Tiger Lillies which some reviewers have described as ‘dark cabaret’. The Tiger Lillies rarely sing about anything in a happy and positive light and their humour is essentially black comedy, perhaps best summed-up in the song ‘Is That All There Is?’ in which the singer having found everything in life totally disappointing, decides against suicide because it will be just too much of a let-down. Other themes include being down in the gutter through gin abuse, drug addiction, a floozy who has had both legs cut off and everyone getting their throats cut. Even the band’s name is reputed to relate to a murdered Soho prostitute who used to dress in animal skins. It is this gallows humour which ensures a sense of dark comedy perpetuates throughout the show although it must said that some of the slow numbers, in particular with Martin Jacques at the piano, are genuinely moving. The Tiger Lillies are not for the easily shocked or offended but they are serious artists and everything they do is in context.
In an obviously radically different genre to mainstream pop or rock, the Tiger Lillies have the same ability of the likes of the Beatles or Abba to make a carefully crafted song performed with perfect timing and style sound simple, effortless and catchy, which in lesser hands might have sounded clumsy or jarring. In addition to their standard equipment of double bass, accordion and drums, a remarkable variety of other instruments are used from ukulele and Spanish guitar to bassist Adrian Stout playing a carpenter’s saw with a cello bow (and getting amazing sounds out of it) and even playing the Theremin, that curious contactless instrument normally associated with '50s sci fi movies. It must be said that Martin Jaques plays some very expressive piano pieces and his singing shows considerable versatility, whilst (if not quite at the level of Rush’s Geddy Lee) is constantly high-pitched. A lot of subtle percussion devices are employed by drummer Jonas Golland, again demonstrating how, behind the in-yer-face persona, there is careful crafting and care for detail throughout.
This is a group with a very wide reach in spite of their curious and very individual style. This is borne out by their international success and the varied types of both the venues they play and ages to whom they appeal. The Tiger Lillies are an engaging, funny and thoroughly entertaining musical trio, with a timeless style that promises they are likely to be around for a long time yet to come.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 11/6/19
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