L-R Jenny Green, Gina Birch, Helen McCookerybook, Marie Merlet

Rough Trade East, London, 16 July 2025

by John Earls. Photo credits (c) John Earls

Gina Birch was a founding member of legendary post-punk band The Raincoats, but it took her until 2023 to release her first solo album. This concert at London’s Rough Trade East was to promote her just released and excellent second solo album Trouble.

“Many of these songs have never been played live before. So it’s an exciting moment for you and a very exciting and scary moment for us” says Birch as she takes the stage with her live band The Unreasonables (Jenny Green and Marie Merlet).

The opening Don’t Fight Your Friends provides a tentative start but pretty soon it’s clear this is going to be something special.

Happiness is a warm and welcoming second number before Birch tells us “now you’re going to wake up again” and launches into Causing Trouble Again, a stirring celebration and shout out (literally) to iconic feminists “and all the other trouble makers I’ve forgotten” that sees Birch playing a high neck bass line melody and some deft solo work from Green on electric guitar.

Doom Monger follows with some funky reggae riffs before the band are joined on stage by “very special guest” Helen McCookerybook who adds vocals to an affecting Hey Hey with its sparse drums and a powerful I Thought I’d Live Forever.

The set finishes with two songs from Birch’s first solo album. I Play My Bass Loud, with its Raincoats’ No One’s Little Girl undertones, sees all of the band playing basses in wonderful solidarity. Feminist Song is a terrific and potent closer to the show with Birch exclaiming:

“I’m a fighter, I’m a believer
I’m a mother, I’m a cleaner
I’m an artist and I’m yours”.

A wonderful evening and a demonstration of Gina Birch’s enduring power to inspire and bring joy.

John Earls is Director of Research at Unite the Union and posts at @johnearls.bsky.social on Bluesky and @john_earls on X. You can subscribe (free) to his Hanging Out a Window Substack column here: https://johnearls.substack.com/

Published post no.2,601 – Sunday 20 July 2025