Co-founders and hosts of White Mischief are Tough Love, who will be appearing on the main stage to celebrate the launch of their first ever mini-album.

Blending tribal, world-influenced drums and percussion with quirky, acerbic English lyrics, six-piece pop band Tough Love have been described by the Guardian as “the afrobeat Scissor Sisters” and by Flavorpill as “tribal pop ambassadors”.

Their dressed-up live shows are a riot of chanting backing vocals, face paint and Victorian-inspired finery, which might explain why Record of the Day has said that “they look and sound like nothing we have seen in recent times” and why Music Week called the group “brilliant – packed with pop hits and charisma.”

Having supported The Crimea, British Sea Power and Yeasayer, Tough Love are making an impact on audiences in London’s more eccentric and quirky clubs; one gig has seen Dexy’s Midnight Runners singer Kevin Rowland stood in front of the stage, mouth agog, looking quite appalled at the boundless energy coming from Tough Love’s two drummers.

A review from trendy blog Boing Boing called the band “completely kick-ass”, continuing “Tough Love played a show that felt like something from Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense tour, with funky, rhythm-heavy numbers that I enjoyed from the first song.”

Tough Love’s thirst for the unusual has inspired them to found White Mischief (www.whitemischief.info), a regular one-night indoor festival which combines live bands with wild circus and cabaret performances. At its last outing the night sold out the 1000-plus capacity Scala venue in Kings Cross with an assortment of revellers dressed as everything from steampunk airship captains to giant pandas.

Time Out called White Mischief: “The event of the week, the month, the year”.

The band has recorded with producers including Toby Smith (Jamiroquai), Phil Vinall (Elastica, Placebo), Cenzo Townshend (U2, Athlete, etc) and James Lewis (Arctic Monkeys, Wombats, Morning Runner).

For more information on Tough Love please contact Dominic Williams at William Bulldog Management.

http://www.toughloveband.com

Although the capacity is smaller than usual, the entertainment will be as outstanding as ever, with close-up magic from Laura London, insane Canadian comic magician Wes Zahuruk, noted cabaret stars Ryan Styles, Empress Stah and Amber Topaz, plus live music from your hosts Tough Love, aviator Katy Carr, The Stillhouse Orchestra, compere Desmond O’Connor plus dancing to vintage jazz and blues. 

For more details on line-up and how to book tickets read on….

We will have White Mischief shows throughout 2009, including a summer Bank Holiday event, Hallowe’en and New Year’s Eve. But first we need to announce our next two shows….

On Saturday April 18 2009 we are teaming up with our friends at brand new Shoreditch venue The Last Days of Decadence to present a mini White Mischief with the same ethos but a much smaller scale and smaller capacity. Consider it a warm-up for the full-scale show that follows just over a month later.

Saturday May 23 2009 sees us returning to Scala for the third time for the magnificent mayhem we’re best known for: aerial performances, interactive theatre, bands and vaudeville acts spilling out of every corner, decorated themed  rooms and more.

Line-up for both the above shows is still to be announced, but we’re really excited about some of the people we have on board. Watch this space!