» Review: Kate Nash
Picture: Keith Trigwell
Having put on Kate Nash’s first Brighton headline show three years ago, Lout Promotions pulled off a coup with this exclusive intimate show that sold out almost immediately.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Ms Nash and it’s hard to believe she’s still only 22. In her absence, Lily Allen has both conquered the pop world and withdrawn from it, while Marina and Ellie have started selling out larger venues. So, what would Kate do next?
Judging by this performance, another rival, or maybe inspiration, appears to be The Ting Tings.
The audience of young kids, old kids and dads with daughters clapped along as Kate and her band marched on to carnival Bontempi beats. Kicking off with ‘You’ll Never Listen’ – the opening track of the forthcoming album (My Best Friend Is You, out 19 April) – her voice and intonation seemed to be the same, as was the arpeggio piano style.
Another newie, ‘Do Wah Doo’ showcased the ‘60s girl group sound she has been referring to in interviews, while old favourite ‘Mouthwash’ brought on the first crowd singalong and ‘Kiss That Girl’ introduced an edgier, indie sound that remained throughout the set. Unfortunately, this was also the case with the sound mix, which meant the drums often drowned out everything else.
There was plenty of between-song banter and, following a raucous ‘Take Me To A Higher Plane’, Kate asked everyone to calm down, as it was only a Monday. Her MySpace legacy continues, with fans seeing themselves more as friends.
‘I Hate Seagulls’, was sung solo with guitar, and all were encouraged to join in for ‘I’ve Got A Secret’ about “homophobic pricks”. This trippy chant turned into a great punky racket with Kate sounding surprisingly like Poly Styrene, a theme continued into the next song.
‘R & B Side’ kicked off with funky fatback drums and a dissing of said genre. ‘Merry Happy’ was a reminder of the classic Kate Nash sound with the piano taking a hammering.
We were told there would be no encore and there wasn’t, but ‘I Just Love You More’ was a rip-roaring Nirvana-esque end. She’s still very much a Marmite act, but I like Marmite.
Komedia 8 March
4/5
Steve Clements
