Live Review: Scene Queen - O2 Ritz, Manchester 05/09/2025
The Scene Queen phenomenon is one that will never cease to amaze the rock and metal industry. An artist who originally went viral for introducing the world to the grit and glitter of “bimbocore”, some dismissed her as a poser looking for her fifteen minutes of fame; others dismissed her as a passing fancy that will grow stale. These groups would not be able to predict that years on from her original peak of stardom, she would be selling out her greatest venue yet: the O2 Ritz in Manchester. Her biggest venue in the UK thus far, and her headline debut in the northwestern city - Scene Queen is here to stay.
Opening the night and getting the crowd going was Lake Malice. The latest hyper-glam-heavy-rock obsession hailing from Brighton, this duo have been on the rise over the years with their range of stomp-worthy mosh-happy sounds. Sounds that they have only worked to perfect over the years as they grew more comfortable in their style, their stage presence, and their commanding of the crowd.
Lake Malice have always managed to be an act that gets their crowd singing and dancing; it’s a secret they dare not share but will indulge in. From earlier tracks such as ‘Creepers’ and ‘Bloodbath’, to the more recent ‘Scatterbrain’, there will be one track for everyone to take, go home with, and use to formally introduce themselves to the band beyond the night out.
Lake Malice opened the door for the evening for a fierce and fabulous experience, and it was time for Girli to walk through and take over the stage.
Girli is a leading voice in this new wave of feminist alt-rock. Someone who is following on from the foremothers of the rise of punk, and having fun while doing so.
As someone who has spent the last decade of her life navigating the music industry as a queer woman, working harder than most to just be taken seriously, she will take her chances in being a little sillier and speak that little extra joy.
Performing songs about figuring life out, falling in love with her friends, and taking down the patriarchy, she made the time to show off her hot pink vibrator-shaped earrings. If that doesn’t demonstrate what Girli is all about, then there’s no way to describe her as an artist. Just embrace the laughter of life with her because in this world, if people aren’t laughing, they’re very likely crying. So a little distraction in the form of buzzing earrings isn’t so bad, if just temporarily.
Now it was time for the woman of the evening to take over. The reason everyone came together in their platform shoes, sequined dresses, and more cowboy hats than you’ll find on a saloon floor at 3am. It’s time for the scene to debut its Queen.
Being the first UK tour to promote her debut record Hot Singles In Your Area, she pulled a few of the biggest hits and fan-favourite tracks out of the collection. This includes the likes of anti-sexual assault anthem ‘Pink Push-up Bra’, the country-metal blend of ‘MILF’ and the fun and frantic ‘Finger’; each of these an example of what brought Scene Queen to where she is now. Serious subject matters combined with pure joy and sexual silliness, to cover all relatable bases for her ultra-feminine ultra-pink fandom. Being a face and voice for a corner of the rock world that very rarely was explored or represented, being a one-of-a-kind in the greatest section of the music industry, was a job she never meant to take on but she took it, she works it, and as the kids would say, she slays.
If there are two things to guarantee at a Scene Queen show, it’s safety and solidarity. Everyone there has been hurt, discriminated, lied to, cheated to, or even worse. Everyone is there for the same reasons. But everyone is unified in those moments. This is why it was so fitting that Scene Queen took time out of her setlist to induct the audience into her fan-focused sorority, Bimbo Beta Pi. With a call-and-response activity and bringing fans up to introduce themselves to a room of hundreds of others, she made the crowd cheer with happiness and belonging - along with laughter at the singer’s pointing out of how easy it can be for everyone to get caught up in a cult due to their obedience of the activities.
Scene Queen is known, probably most famously, for being so outspoken about the downsides of the industry. Particularly how forgiving it can be of musicians who are known for being abusive, committing predatory acts, or any other harmful behaviours that would land non-famous people in jail. She ends the night with her anti-predator single ‘18+’ and this is the last push of all anger out of the fans’ bodies and minds. A cathartic exercise for those who have been taken advantage of, or lost their favourite music acts because of these behaviours, it is the loudest and one of the most emotional tracks in Scene Queen’s discography and one that should always close out the night as it’s a fitting last-hurrah single for everyone in the room. Like one last bonding exercise before the night ends.
Completing a new feat across the water from her native United States, it hammers home that Scene Queen is here to stay. She could have come and gone as a viral trend, as a meme, as a one-hit wonder, but the fans didn’t allow that. She wasn’t allowed to fade away, she will just grow bigger and stronger as time goes by.
The future is bright, sparkly, and as it will remain with Scene Queen, the future remains sweet and pink.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
Photography by Molly Baigent
