Meet the geccers: photos of 100 gecs’ dedicated London fans
The genre-mutating American duo have a legendary cult fanbase. THE FACE headed to their first UK headline gig to capture the moment.
If you’ve clicked this link, chances are you’re already a geccer, and so you can probably just scroll down and check out THE FACE’s gallery of the band’s devoted fans.
But, for the uninitiated: 100 gecs are the cult band of this era. Formed in 2015 in St Louis, Missouri and now based in LA, the duo of Laura Les and Dylan Brady blew up with their 2019 debut album 1000 gecs, which topped the “albums of the year” list by both Noisey and New York Times critic Jon Caramanica. The album comprises of 10 head-spinning anthems that mash together sickly-sweet pop, trunk-rattling trap, trance, chiptune, nu metal and third wave ska. Les and Brady’s voices, which are usually drenched in distortion or gargled with AutoTune, spew out absurd references which reflect the surreal and arbitrary humour of meme culture (think: the bars about ringtones, race horses, Doritos, Fritos and eating burritos with Danny DeVito).
The pandemic forced 100 gecs to postpone their world tour twice, but it didn’t stop their rise. During various lockdowns, the r/100gecs subreddit gained thousands of members, the band threw a fundraising festival inside Minecraft and they inspired a new generation of American producers to experiment with an intense genre – called either hyperpop or digicore – from their bedrooms.
Following performances at Reading & Leeds festivals over the weekend, on Tuesday 30th August, 100 gecs finally got to headline a gig in the UK at London’s Kentish Town Forum, allowing many British fans to experience their music together outside of a video game and IRL for the first time. They also played a few new tunes from their long-awaited second album (it’s called 10000 gecs, of course), which has every chance of becoming another cult classic.
Laura Bowels
What is it about 100 gecs’ music that makes you feel good?
I love how it’s so silly and fun. I can enjoy myself 1000% per cent.
Was your outfit for tonight inspired by 100 gecs?
Yes! I wanted to look like how they make me feel.
Did you have fun at the gig?
Yes! I am covered in bruises and lost half my clothes and it was amazing.
What’s your favourite 100 gecs lyric?
“JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP WHERE’S THE WEED AT?”
Why do you think 100 gecs have such hardcore fans?
Because we can truly revel in their silly fun sexy beats, and let go.
Describe their music in 5 words…
Really, really trans and hot.
Kae Amami
What is it about 100 gecs’ music that makes you feel good?
Their music speaks to me in a way I really can’t describe. It transports me to another world where I feel like a superhero or the main character every time I listen to it.
Was your outfit for tonight inspired by 100 gecs?
Yes! I was dressed as a femme version of Dylan Brady’s mememe outfit from the video. I had a lot of fun designing it. And it was nice to see it getting so much love when I arrived at the concert.
Did you have fun at the gig?
I had the absolute best time. I waited so, so long for them to come to England and I’m so glad they decided to come. I would love for them to come back again.
What’s your favourite 100 gecs lyric?
“You just copy everything we do /If I wasn’t me, I’d copy me too.”
Charles The Princess
What is it about 100 gecs’ music that makes you feel good?
I love their chaotic energy. Their music seems to be on the same wavelength as my brain.
Was your outfit for the Kentish Town Forum gig inspired by 100 gecs?
I’m currently moving house and all of my clothes are packed away. This is all I could find to wear.
What’s your favourite 100 gecs lyric?
“Hey you little piss baby”
Why do you think 100 gecs have such hardcore fans?
Because they were doing something that no one else was doing. They moved hyperpop forward and you can hear their influence in a lot of other artists.
