SUPPORTING TRANSVISION VAMP – 22nd October 2026
Being the opener for a bigger band tends to be tough, particularly if the band you’re opening for is an ‘80s pop-rock icon who hasn’t toured the UK in years, meaning that now there are all these die-hard fans from back in the day waiting to see their idol on stage again.
This was the situation Yee Loi found themselves in, as they are currently supporting Transvision Vamp on their first UK tour since 1991.
At the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Yee Loi pulled it off skilfully and based on the conversations I overheard in the pit near the end of their set, they gained quite a few new fans during their show.
With a thundering bass Yee Loi launched into their first song ‘Dad’s Money’, with guitarist Rose assertively commanding the stage and lead singer Matilda’s vocals coming strong from behind the drumkit. Her ability to play the drums while singing at the same time without missing a beat is remarkable. It’s easy to forget the young age of Yee Loi when they play so confidently in front of hundreds of people.
At times, you could see glimpses of it, especially at the beginning of the set when both Matilda and bassist Donnie glanced at their older sister Rose for reassurance. The longer they played, however, the more they got lost in the music and in the second half of the set, Donnie’s hand was flying incredibly fast up and down the fretboard of his bass, all nerves and tension forgotten.
It took the audience a bit to warm up to the three-piece but the more songs the band played, the more the audience responded to the music by cheering and nodding their heads along to the beat. When Yee Loi threw themselves into the first chords of their reimagined and punkified cover of ‘Mystery Train’, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Rose told the audience that the band uses no AI or backing tracks, so their music might contain a few mistakes here and there, the audience roared in appreciation.
For me, the highlights of the show were Yee Loi’s single ‘Why Ask Why’ and their cover of MC5’s ‘Ramblin’ Rose’, which had Rose take over lead vocals, an edge to her voice that rivalled the original, and the performance bursting with intensity.
Rose knows her rockstar moves and she went from impressive jumps while seamlessly doing a guitar solo to fun little twirls, her hair flying around looking like a lion’s mane.
The performance still looked a little too staged and slightly too polished to compete with the on- stage chaos and pandemonium of punk rock greats but with a bit more practice and some more experience on stage, Yee Loi will get there, too.
At times the physical distance between Donnie on one side of the stage and his two sisters on the other seemed a little wider than it should be, visually separating him from the rest of the band, although his droning bass lines consistently provided the backbone for the music.
Overall, Yee Loi look like they feel at home on stage and they give it their all. They form a tight unit and you can see that they can rely on each other.
Their live performance was full of energy, with powerful guitar solos, heavy basslines and solid vocals.
Their songs are catchy and I had the chorus of ‘Why Ask Why’ stuck in my head for the entire journey back home after the concert.
Yee Loi are just beginning their journey as a touring band but at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire they demonstrated that they are already prepared to take on the big stages.
Review by Lea Brost and All Photography by David Angel for THE SONGBIRD HQ