SUICIDE GIRLS @ DOWNLOAD 2004
Donington Park

For those of you who don't know, Download is the revamped and revised Monsters of Rock festival, this year providing two days of the biggest and best in metal, punk - and beyond. Unafriad to sttetch musical boundaries, the festival this weekend has already featured electroclash star Peaches headlining the small Barfly stage, and appearanced from esoteric acts such as Surferosa and NME-friendly garage punk acts such as The Hives dotted amongst the Slipknots, Slayers and Korns.

The Suicide Girls Burlesque Show is an interesting addition to the bill, and one which might not have worked - especially as the closing act of the weekend (at least on the smaller stage - Metallica are due to rip up the main stage). But the tent is rammed - more than at any other point of the weekend, and possibly thanks to people giving up on Metallica, who's show has been delayed thanks to a missing drummer, and choosing another option.

A quick scan of the crowd shows that it's not just men here, despite what Kerrang! and the like might have you think, and the audience are up for entertainment - which they get. The girls are sexy, feisty, and fun, and perform a slick act to a pleasing variety of music - everything from James Bond themes to Marilyn Manson and White Stripes. This is striptease with style, and although there's no actual nudity - nipples remaining covered with pasties - it's a sexy little show. The girls seem to be genuienly enjoying the experience, the crowd respond with enthusiasm - but never become lecherous or crude - and it ends the day on a high. Let's hope that the Suicide Girls make it back over to the UK sometime soon.

DAVID FLINT

SUICIDE GIRLS @ DOWNLOAD GALLERY