Mark Keds & Lenie Mets The George, Whitechapel, June 8th 2007 This acoustic session is an occasional but one hopes not ad hoc adjunct to Mark's day job with Like a Bitch. Jolt were underrated, a huge electrical charge of musicianship and sexual charisma. The Lams, pretty much a collective of Mark and assorted mates/musicians were most persuasive when augmented by Lenie's sultry playing. There's a real quality to the performance at the George. Singing is often overlooked but in fact Mark and Lenie sing beautifully. The acoustic arrangements draw out the raw poetry of the songs. An endearing and sweet arrangement sees Mark strumming most of the songs with Lenie harmonising. There's little from Jolt but instead some little performed rarities which are even more the more arresting in their unfamiliarity. An amusingly drunk old-time regular interrupts proceedings with an a dispute over bongos. Wants to accompany, a T-Rex style boogie in reality a gigantic sideways compliment. A surprise reading of Scarce's 'Days like this' is poignant and carried with gorgeous elan. The other great cover is the evening's finale, Brenda Kahn's 'What if I saw Jesus'. Over the years M&L have made this song their own, not because Brenda Kahn's original isn't brilliant but because the late Jolt cover is as beautifully arranged and performed as a pop song can be. Absolutely transcendent of time and place. Mark's current focus is on the punk tinged Like a Bitch and Lenie's locum is as a proud mother and putative non-musical careerist (is this possible??!). But no doubting their collective songwriting is possessed of a singular lyricism, an emotional intelligence, a fine judgement of what is too much and what is just right.