| 'I Just Love You More' - a love-letter to a nineteen-song KATE NASH live set. |
| Written by Shahlin Graves |
| Tuesday, 01 March 2011 00:35 |
 SORRY: I only had my phone + a point-&-shoot to take average photos on over the tops of people's heads. You know that you're at a KATE NASH show when the pre-set music runs from retro pop ('Let's Hear It For The Boy', 'Twist And Shout', etc.), to The Runaways ('Cherry Bomb'), to [her own boyfriend's band] The Cribs ('Mirror Kissers')... and when the audience is predominately female and decked out in vintage dresses and various versions of Nash's own hair-cut. Everyone here tonight is a fan - from the girls paying homage to the dress-sense of their heroine, to the boyfriends singing along to every lyric, to the assorted English expatriates, and to the middle-aged men who like their female singer-songwriters fierce. The last time that I was in the same space as Nash, was at the 2008 Big Day Out in Auckland. Kate was a distant spot of blue-gingham dress far away off in the distance between the necks of the very tall people (playing with a beach ball) that I was surrounded by on all sides. According to reports from those who could see more than I could, Nash was a little bit tipsy - I like to think that she was nervous. Riding off the back of the mainstream success of her debut album 'Made Of Bricks' and introductory singles 'Foundations' and 'Pumpkin Soup', festival-goers cavorted in the sunshine dancing happily, whilst Nash reviled the memories of ex-boyfriends. Kate Nash's 2011 Sydney and Melbourne shows however, were a very different kind of show - what some would call an intimate affair, that even included a bona fide love song, or two.   Accompanied by a new three-piece backing band (who weren't her usual touring companions), Nash effortlessly played a swapping game between guitars and her keyboard, running through a nineteen song setlist that spanned the majority of both of her albums plus a surprise for diehard fans with the inclusion of the 'Merry Happy' B-side, 'Model Behaviour'. With an ear-to-ear smile that reflected those beaming back at her, Nash bounced on-stage and launched into the next ninety minutes with 'I Just Love You More'. She pouted, she hollered, she was all things electric. Before diving into her second song of the night 'Do-Wah-Doo', Nash modelled the giant red bow that crowned her head, making sure that the audience knew it was representative of the special effort she had put in especially for tonight's Sydney show.   And it really felt like she had! Nash re-enacted the stories of her songs through convincing facial expressions and vocal tones. She rolled her eyes at the right times, whispered or mumbled in the right parts, and sung sweetly when the occasion called for it - with her vocals on 'Mouthwash' and 'Kiss That Grrrl' sounding absolutely flawless. 'Take Me To A Higher Plane' and 'Don't You Want To Share The Guilt?' shone in a live setting, with the spoken-word ending of the latter being especially moving.   I've forever struggled to understand why those that lurk at the back of intimate venues take great pains to carry out private conversations in outdoor voices, but Nash handled The Metro Theatre audience with sass. While trying to begin playing 'I Hate Seagulls', she asked the restless few to "politely shut up" - and when they ignored her request, she would stop playing the song to glare at the present offenders. The you-could-hear-a-pin-drop attentiveness demonstrated during 'Birds' slightly made up for the previous frustration during 'I Hate Seagulls', which was followed by Nash thumping her way through 'Later On', and then revving up with 'I've Got A Secret' which she dedicated to "the gays" as an anti-homophobia song. Kate then presented one of my favourite moments of the whole entire night, performing the entirety of 'Mansion Song', from its prose-beginning to chanty-sing-song-y second half.  Nash prowled and strutted the length of the stage, next roaring and whooping her way through 'Model Behaviour', in what seemed like sheer unadulterated fun for both her band and herself. A slightly out of breath Nash declared afterwards that "sometimes you've just got to get stuff off your chest", before pounding her way through 'Mariella' which was another highlight of the set, with the entire audience singing along to the bridge of repeated "never-ever ever-ever-ever's" at the top of their lungs.  'Early Christmas Present' was excellent, but it was clear that the audience had been impatient for 'Paris'... and when it finally arrived, the crowd was roused into another sing-a-long. A sentiment which was increased tenfold for a rousing rendition of 'Foundations' and then fan-favourite, 'Merry Happy'.  Kate returned to the stage for a two-song encore of 'Nicest Thing' and 'Pumpkin Soup'. In Melbourne at Billboard The Venue, she kept those impatient for 'Pumpkin Soup' on the edge of their toes as she changed outfits. Anyone that has watched their fair share of live Nash videos, knows that she likes to end her set by standing atop her keyboard and stomping out the final chords of her set. But no matter how many times you watch it on a computer screen, nothing compares to the real-life urgency of half-wanting to save Kate from toppling over into the crowd battling half-wanting to be up there alongside her, while time stand stills for everyone present to enjoy a most perfect moment.  Click HERE for more photos of KATE NASH live in Australia - plus keep an eye out for our exclusive interview with Kate herself, online very soon...  KATE NASH 2011 SYDNEY/MELBOURNE SETLIST: 1. I Just Love You More 2. Do-Wah-Doo 3. Mouthwash 4. Kiss That Grrrl 5. Take Me To A Higher Plane 6. Don't You Want To Share The Guilt? 7. I Hate Seagulls 8. Birds 9. Later On 10. I've Got A Secret 11. Mansion Song 12. Model Behaviour 13. Mariella 14. Early Christmas Present 15. Paris 16. Foundations 17. Merry Happy Encore: 18. Nicest Thing 19. Pumpkin Soup  |
