If you’re like me and you are transported back to 2007 to the time of MySpace, scene kids and Skins anytime you listen to Kate Nash, then you would probably go to see her live six years later with a nostalgic perspective.
However, when you realise that Nash has completely transformed herself from then, you’ll realise you’re in for something completely different altogether.
Due to torrential rain and the fact that I get to SWG3 later than I should thanks to a surreptitious venue placement, I arrive only when support band Vulkano are on their second last song of the night.
The venue I’m met with is unlike anything I have seen, gig wise.
It is a converted warehouse with air vents and beams visible in the high ceilings. It’s not the only thing that’s unusual.
Vulkano are a two-piece band from Sweden made up of two girls and one touring male guitarist for the tour, the lead singer, Cissi Efraimsson, is on drums and lead vocals while Lisa Pyk Wirström, is on keyboards and percussion.
From what I hear, they’re an infusion of loud pop rock, with heavy drumbeats; Wirström loses it at the keyboard during the last song, dancing around and if I had been none the wiser, I thought she might have been possessed – although that’s not to say it isn’t fun to watch.
I can admire when artists really get into their own music on stage and are unashamedly enthusiastic about it.
The trio walk off, setting up the mood for some pro-feminism, extremely awesome punk rock.
Following the single support act of the night, are Kate Nash and her band, but before the actual show begins, there is a projection on stage which envelopes the instruments set up on stage and shows a short compilation of clips of Nash, with the feminist anthem ‘You Don’t Own Me’ playing throughout.
The projection stays on, and the first three members of the band come on to cheers, followed by Miss Kate Nash herself, who is greeted with a roar.
The set overall is short, but a nice balance between her three albums, with newest single ‘Fri-end?’ being played with old favourite ‘Foundations,’ also in congestion.
It seems like Nash is trying to shake off the image that she had when first found fame and is delving into a completely different genre and is taking hold of it completely.
The heavier influences are obvious, with Linda Burrato absolutely shredding a guitar solo at a point where Nash introduces her band mates.
Again, of course I had been used to softer vocals that were laden with some comical spite behind them, now you can see how Nash refuses to hold back as the vocals begin to get shrill and louder.
Speaking of not holding back, she gets into the crowd at the third song because she wanted to dance with an audience member.
In a break between songs, she takes a minute to speak about how you shouldn’t ever be held back by those who may anchor you in your life, that you should be yourself and not give a fuck about what anyone else thinks; if it makes you happy, do it.
At one point she mentions how she was dropped from her label, as they wanted her to go in a completely different direction and bring out a second album with a “dance single”.
Of course, this wasn’t what she had wanted or envisioned for her career so decided to go down the route she felt she was compelled to go down.
The encore is the song ‘Lullaby For An Insomniac’, the last track off of her most recent album Girl Talk, we see Nash in a more vulnerable setting as she sits herself on stage with a ominous projection of a slow moving sky with a full moon on show.
Leaving the gig made me feel very much empowered after seeing that girls can rock just as hard as guys can, and that they can they do so with defiance.
More than ever it is important that there are people out there like Kate Nash – and her band – who wholly believe in what they do and are passionate in their performance.
I went in looking for a lovely reminder about life before becoming a teenager, how I was so full of hope and wonder of what life had to offer me in the next coming years.
Yet when leaving, I wanted to go out and kick ass, punch a misogynist in the balls and superwoman style fly to Russia and free Pussy Riot myself.
Words: Alisa Wylie
Photos: Stewart Fullerton
why didnt you review thin privilige you dont give a single denim fuck about the glasgow music scene
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Nick, we have reviewed Thin Privilige before but unfortunately I can’t make every show in Glasgow, as much as I’d like to. Yes there’s a lot over touring acts covered but the time and effort put in to make sure every local show gets at very least a mention completely discredits your comment. I guess your problem is that is was a review of a charting former pop star and you wouldn’t have a problem if we’d reviewed say the Saint Max or the Holy Mountain gig that night? I’d have loved to have done that but I can only cover what I can make and what contributors put themselves forward for. Personally that evening I was actively promoting the Glasgow music scene speaking at a pre MOBO event, why weren’t you there? Maybe it’s you that doesn’t give a fuck about the scene?
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maybe you werent even at this kate nash CONCERT because obviously thin privlidges opened the show and were absaloutely 7/10 phenomenal best live band ive seen since defenstration so dont threaten me with your hydro corporate mOBo crap mate i do more for the local sceen than youve done in your cream puff so if you come at the kign you best not miss!
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I wasn’t at the gig and like the reviewer mentions unfortunately they were late as they had not been down to Studio Warehouse before and had problems locating it, which I feel is understandable. I would have urged the reviewer to go along earlier had I know Thin Priviledge were on the bill but they weren’t listed by the promoter nor did the band or anyone involved with the band make me aware they were on the bill. Ok, MOBO is a massive corporate event, but the event I was speaking at was an attempt to celebrate Glasgow’s cultural scenes, music being one of them, so it was actively promoting Glasgow’s music scene. Now I know you’re involved with Struggletown and you guys do a lot of good work, but please don’t insult me as I put a lot of time and effort into promoting the local scene – maybe you don’t see it that way but I think a lot would disagree with you – after all we should be working together to promote the scene not having petty arguments about who promotes it more.
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look okay maybe i lost my temper a bit because you said you thought thin privledge were a nu metal band (their not!!) but hey lets big guns be big guns. i was sacked from struggle town btw for being outspoken and offensive i dont know why they have no idea what theyre talking about. i think you really are the glue that holds glasgows music scene together so i should have shown you more respect thanks for everything that you do. but i probably do the most i actually presented a mobo award on saturday did you see me i thought i looked smashing up there anyway keep raving keep reviewing and thanks for your endlessly enraging output.
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Again that wasn’t me personally (the ‘nu metal’ comment). I didn’t know you were sacked from Struggletown, what is it you do now? I’ll ignore the sarcastic side of that comment and be pleasant, I know I do my bit and I wish I could do more but I don’t have the resources, thanks for the comment.
Surely all my output isn’t enraging, I’d be annoyed if a band I was in or like was missed from a review or misunderstood by a reviewer but sometimes that can’t be helped.
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It’s all shite though isn’t it.
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