The Vaselines bring bathroom humor and bedroom critiques to San Francisco

October 20, 2010, at the Great American Music Hall

By Katherine Hoffert
Published: October 24th, 2010 | 1:00pm

The theme of the night really was Sex With an X—if not in setlist, then in Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly’s cheeky stage banter. In what could have been a comedy routine, the two ex-lovers proved they’re just as hormone-crazed as ever, and spent the night criticizing each other’s sexual performance and taking turns throwing each other under the “toxic” bus.

“So, Frances went for a colonic today,” Kelly announced after a jangly rendition of “Monsterpussy.” Defending this with the explanation that they could “only do pees on the tour bus” and that—unlike the rest of the band who’d “had the runs for days” after being in Mexico—she was backed up, McKee got her revenge later in the set. In her thick Glaswegian accent, she proudly stated, “And for the record, Eugene—that colonic was better than sex with you.”

“I’m sure a lot of things are better than sex with me,” Kelly jibed back. But McKee got the last word: “Yeah, a cup of tea, Curly Wurly, knitting...” before launching into “No Hope,” with its telling refrain “And I can’t give it up.” There’s a fine line between love and hate, and these Scottish twee-pop legends illustrated it unashamedly. After all, it’s this dueling that not only makes the Vaselines’ live show so entertaining, but serves as the source of tension (mostly sexual) in their music.

Touring with a guitarist, drummer, and bassist in support of their first album in over two decades, Sex With an X (Sub Pop), the Vaselines’ set was split almost equally between old and new material. What made it cohesive was that acerbic, often cynical, double-entendre-laced wit that runs through both bodies of work. It’s what gives their merry melodies a subversive quality, and what made them kindred spirits of Kurt Cobain—who claimed the Vaselines as his favorite band, named his daughter after McKee, and covered three of their songs. (Judging by the crowd’s reaction to these songs—“Molly’s Lips,” “Son of a Gun,” and “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam”—it’s safe to say this is how most people in the audience were introduced to the group.)

As spirited as their verbal exchanges were, McKee and Kelly’s stage presence was actually pretty tame, and they stayed stationary at their mic stands throughout the night. They did strum their guitars a bit fiercer, however, when the crowd started “jiving,” as McKee would call it (though really, they were circle-pit moshing). They also spiced things up for “Molly’s Lips” by bringing members of opening band the Dum Dum Girls onstage (who’ve claimed their name is an homage to the Vaselines’ 1989 album, Dum-Dum, released on the now defunct 53rd & 3rd label). After McKee’s relentless teasing all night about how the males in the band spent more time in front of the mirror than normal, sprucing themselves up for the Dum Dum Girls, it was no surprise that Kelly blushed as Bambi and Dee Dee danced next to him, honking a bike horn and giggling.

Ending their main set with “Dying for It,” McKee said, “If you wiggle your willies, maybe we’ll come out again,” to which a guy in the front shouted back, “I’ve been doing that all night!” So to wiggling applause, the Vaselines returned for their final punch line of an encore: Divine’s “You Think You’re a Man” with its fitting line “You weren’t man enough to satisfy me,” followed by a fast and dirty combo of “Sex Sux (Amen)” and “Dum-Dum.” Despite the Vaselines’ disappointment over each other’s performance, the crowd was left highly satisfied.

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Sub Pop Records