Dirty Debutantes
For Montreal’s Ladies Luncheon, it’s all about the fun
BY Nathaniel G. Moore
Photography by Ian Cameron
When I saw the primped trio trotting around their hometown during the Pop Montreal festival, I anticipated another po-mo pom-pom spoken word grrl effort, but I was entirely wrong. Formed by the common bond of a middle name, Ladies Luncheon (Sarah Lee, Anisa Lee and Laurel Lee) can sing like a small town choir. With the occasional recorder solo, the group champions melody over cheeky tabloid-tragedy lyrics about the Olsen twins, called fittingly “(The Very Sad Melody of) Mary-Kate and Ashley.” But beyond the comedy is the music: well-timed and—sober or not—emotive. While I’m sure there are some silkscreened undies in their marketing plans down the road, Ladies Luncheon also has big plans.
“We would like to record a full-length album,” says Anisa Lee. Currently, Ladies Luncheon live shows offer a sample platter, a four-song EP. “It is our dreamiest dream that all the world shall one day hold hands in harmony and fellowship whilst singing along to a Ladies Luncheon contemporary classic. We have a lot of material; it’s going to be difficult whittling it down to just nine or 13 songs,” Anisa Lee explains. “We’re thinking of putting out a Ladies Luncheon Double Album Retrospective before anyone has even heard of us.”
Since their humble beginnings in April 2005, the Ladies have dissected cultural myths and come at the audience with politeness that is heartbreaking. Their songs address contemporary romantic issues such as monogamy, respecting oneself, eating properly and—of course—being polite. Their on-stage banter includes such slogans as, “Never let them see your ass,” “No diamond, no hymen,” and “You don’t have to have a cock to rock.” Anisa Lee confides, “The three of us consider one another the absolute salt-of-the-earth, beacons of strong moral fibre with unfailing strengths of character.” Trying to get to the bottom of things, I make the mistake of asking the Ladies if it is important to stay in character during their performances. “I just don’t know what you’re getting at,” Sarah Lee deflects.
When asked about the songwriting process, the group agrees unanimously. “Usually we read, see, hear or experience something we find hilarious or heartbreaking or heartbreakingly hilarious and we say to one another: ‘That could be a song!’ Have you heard ‘One Degree of Separation from Kevin Bacon’? That song changes people’s lives forever.” Not only polite, but so modest! Their mothers must have worked hard on raising such proper ladies. The Ladies’ most recent Montreal gig was dubbed “Get Leid at the Ladies Luncheon Luncheon Luau: Melekalikilaka Killchewbaka; A Bright Hawaiian Christmas Extravaganza.”
