Review by Abby Foster @abbohmb
Photos by Jennie Book @jenniebookphotography

July 29^th was a cool July evening in Berkeley. While most of the country sweltered in record heat, here the fog was in and a crowd of music lovers donned their Docs and headed down to the UC Theater. The eclectic crowd was there to see Gossip, the veteran headliners who are touring to support their latest album Real Power; they got what they came for. But first, they were charmed and energized by Tchotchke, a trio of talented young indie-pop musicians out of New York.   

Tchotchke opened with the one-two punch of “Ronnie” and “Dizzy,” two songs off their self-titled 2022 debut album. By song three, the Gossip fans were paying attention. The trio are solid musicians, with Anastasia Sanchez front and center on drums and lead vocals, Emily Tooraen on lead guitar, and Eva Chambers on bass. Their songs are fun and poppy, with a hint of ‘50s doo-wop (Emily and Eva combine for back-up vocals) mixed with a touch of surf music. Emily even threw down a guitar solo. After the set, they manned their own merch table, signing records and posing for photos. One fan complimented them as they posed with her for a selfie: “You guys are like a Shangri-La punk band!”  

With the loyalist crowd warmed up and energized, Gossip took the stage. Lead singer Beth Ditto was comfortable and confident. She and guitarist Nathan Howdeshell bantered back and forth throughout the show, the result of a life-long friendship formed in childhood in Searcy, Arkansas.  Together with the more stoic drummer Hannah Blilie, the band has been putting out albums since 2006. Their songs are a danceable mix of post-punk and indie rock, and the crowd was all in. Even the sound guy was dancing and clapping an enthusiastic beat. Ditto’s voice was strong and friendly. She had an easy manner with the audience, and it was clear how important her example is to so many. She talked about honky tonks and feminism and body image and gender—and so many in the crowd connected with her message. Late in the set, Gossip’s feminist rendition of “Addicted to Love” set the crowd off. When the set ended, they called for an encore, demanding “ten more” and shouting out favorite song titles.  

There was a lot of love between the two bands, and Ditto gushed praises of Tchotchke throughout the evening. The feeling was clearly mutual, as the trio could be seen in the crowd bouncing and singing along to Gossip favorites such as “Four Letter Word,” “Act of God,” and “Your Mangled Heart.” When they finally left the stage, the crowd was all smiles and slow to disperse. 

So much of Gossip’s essence is tied to the LGBTQ community, and there is a lot at stake in the current political contests. Throughout the evening, Ditto offered strength and hope. She ended with a quote from gymnast Simone Biles: “I know that whatever happens, we’ll prevail.” Biles went on to win the team gold in Paris…