09 July 2010 (gig)
09 July 2010
Kate Nash's sophmore album, My Best Friend is You, is brought to us by a different woman to the one we were first introduced to back in the summer of 2008. It is a more mature Nash who takes to the stage at the Roundhouse tonight, on her 23rd birthday.
Fans were greeted at the door with a Kate Nash goody-bag and a paper flag, hundreds of which are waving frantically in the air as Nash glides across the floor in a tiara, her custom-made monochrome dreamcoat flowing behind her. This woman is comfortable in her own skin, at ease in front of the large crowd who are hanging on her every word. Incidentally, she opens with You've come so far, well done, darling/We knew that you had it in you/You can do anything that you want, world is an oyster, don't disappoint us - with the air choc-full of excitement, it seems unlikely that anyone will be leaving with a sense of disappointment this evening.
Satisfaction oozes from Nash as she happily pounds her keyboard, jumping from Do Wah Do to Mouthwash before reminding us it's her birthday, with a large grin spreading across her face as the crowd begins to serenade her with Happy Birthday. The tone is brought down for the next section of the set, as we are treated to Don't You Want to Share the Guilt? - an emotional song which is almost a stream of consciousness, depicting the feelings of a concerned protagonist. The crowd are asked to be quiet for the next song, I Hate Seagulls, a request which is not completely fulfilled by the excitable (mostly) teenage audience. "If you don't be quiet, I'll have to ask you to shut up" we are politely told, before Nash's quick tongue snaps "oh go home you prick" to a heckler. One wonders why he is here? Unflustered, Nash continues when a randier heckler yells "KATE! YOU'RE FIT!" - unimpressed, Kate says "look, I'm trying to get people to be quiet here" and continues with the song, finally acquiring the desired silence.
Number one single Foundations is the biggest crowd pleaser of the night, coming mid-set before the darkest part of the evening. Non-album track Grrrila Munch precedes Mansion Song, during which the 8 year old girl standing near me looks up at her parents as though checking it's okay for her to listen
to. I can get fucked like the best of men; Like the best of men/Like the worst of pain, inflicted on another young girl again shouts Nash, and although the language may not be appropriate for this young girl (who has spent her pocket money buying all of the merchandise on offer), I am pleased that she has a role model like this to look up to. When I was growing up, the Spice Girls were preaching 'girl power!', as they lip synched, married footballers and got into arguments with each other. You Don't Have to Suck Dick to Succeed best documents the 'new' Kate Nash we see today, leaving one wondering about what she's faced over the past two years that's made her grow up so much. She definitely hasn't forgotten her playful, fun side that made us fall in love with her in the first place, she's just using her platform more constructively this time around.
Towards the end of the night, the audience are showered in coloured balloons (featuring a photo of Kate's rabbit, Fluffy), reflective confetti and trillions of bits of white paper, too. I wouldn't like to be the one lumbered with sweeping up that mess. Kate was on top form though, in full party mode, and the arrival of a cake and a more hearty chorus of Happy Birthday only brightened her already sunny mood.
I overheard two 30-something women on the train home, who had also been to the show. "This was the iTunes show I least wanted tickets for, but the only pair I won" she told her friend. "But I'm bloody glad I did, that was better than I ever could have imagined!" That, I feel, says it all. Happy Birthday, Kate!
Reviewed by Vix Standen
