Peaches brings dancing vaginas to Commonwealth

Electro-pop star Peaches’ live show never disappoints

By Amber McLinden, Staff Writer

Let me start off by asking a question. How many shows have you seen that involved dancing vaginas? If the answer is more than zero, you’ve likely had the pleasure of seeing Peaches perform live on tour.

The last time Peaches visited Calgary was to guest curate the ever-exciting Sled Island. With impeccable taste she brought some of the best acts of the year to Sled, including TT the Artist and Junglepussy, some of Calgary’s favourites of this years showcase. She headlined the festival with a show at Flames Central, packing the venue right to the brim with screaming fans.

It’s hard to not love Peaches for all that she is. Her music is filled with the kind of raw sexuality that we can only dream of using outside one of her shows. Through iconic songs like “Fuck the Pain Away” and “Operate”, she offers lyrical genius through electro-pop that sound a little bit like a sext. But it isn’t just a gimmick; Peaches has been making music for more than 20 years and she’s perfected her brand so that fans know exactly what to expect when they step into a Peaches show.

So of course, the crowd was expecting an equally as shocking show at her second appearance in Calgary this year. At Commonwealth this time, a considerably smaller venue, fans wondered what the vibe would be and they were not disappointed. Coming onto the stage in a full suit of hair, resembling the abominable snowman, she opened with “Rub”, the title track of her most recent album. The costume changes were at an impressive high, considering she was on stage by herself, both singing and DJing.

Besides the hair suit, Peaches also had an underwear and bra combo that consisted of fake silicon breasts, nipples and all, as well as a hair shawl that was added on part way through the set. A bondage-inspired theme was channeled through her backup dancers, using tall boots and handcuffs. Eventually, Peaches just took off her top all together and put on a jacket with huge shoulder pads and even bigger spikes. Between herself and her backup dancers, the show really played out more like a stage production than a music set, which is exactly what fans have come to expect of Peaches.

The show started out relatively slow, yet somehow, she managed to still have the crowd chanting “dick” repeatedly by the end of the night. If you’ve never seen a Peaches show, I highly recommend it. There’s nothing like ending a night with some scantily clad backup dancers pouring cheap champagne into your mouth.