ROCK N ROLL BABY

When I knew I was going to see Kate Nash a couple of month, I had imagined I would in for a number of chirpy up-tempo ballads revolving around modern life a la Lillie Allen before she went electro. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Though there were moments when Nash sat at her electric piano, she was never dainty and bashed the keys with gusto. She gave a full on-rock performance that easily surpassed many of her contemporaries in the indie scene and in terms of its sheer energy, was reminiscent of Elton John at his best. She announced the colour of her snow from the moment launched into heavily indie framed first track –“ I just love you more” with its great repetitive bass line. There were of slightly more subtle moments with retro 60’s do-wap rhythms like “Kiss That Girl” and “Do Wah Do” – both with of young feminine insecurities, piano rock tracks such as “Mouthwash” and “Paris”, and folksy numbers like “Take Me to A Higher Plane.
We all know that audiences these days tend to talk during quiet songs. However, as Kate Nash was frequently engaging with the audience, at one point mid-show she felt confident enough to ask the audience to keep silent for the acoustic “I Hate Seagulls”. She also denounced homophobia before singing” I’ve got a Secret”.
“Mansion Song” was not for those easily shocked starting, as is it did a full-on series of sexual expletives in the form of a violent pre-song poetry, which nonetheless were totally appropriate in the context of the song.