– GORILLA, MANCHESTER –
Kate Nash is back, but not how we know her!
This is my first visit to Gorilla and as a long time Manchester resident I become excited when new venues open, being the sister of the Deaf Institute my hopes are high. After a few false starts getting lost, I am pointed in the right direction by the security guard. “Round the corner under the bridge” he says… very mysterious. I step inside, the decor is reminiscent of The Warehouse Project’s Victoria Station venue and I approve.
Supporting Kate Nash tonight are The Tuts, an all- girl band with an impressive rock sound which is not something I would normally associate with Kate Nash. The Tuts have an impressive stage presence, joking and sharing personal stories with the crowd between songs and it’s nice to watch.
A video begins to play featuring a retro looking Nash, she’s almost unrecognisable. With Lesley Gore’s ‘You Don’t Own Me’ playing hard hitting lyrics such as “Don’t tell me what to do and don’t tell me what to say” it’s clear Nash has kept her free speech attitude. Nash appears with a ‘£1.99 service station’ tiara on her head and self-appoints herself as a queen, the guy beside me whole heartedly agrees! In all honesty I have no idea what to expect from tonight’s gig and that seems to be the general feeling for most fans here.
Opening with ‘Sister’, a track from her new album Girl Talk it showcases some improved guitar skills and impressive vocal range. Sister begins quietly and with no warning Nash turns punk rock! ‘Sister Sister well don’t you know how much I missed you’… well she’s quoting the tv show here, but why? Nash screams at some points in this song as I look around the crowd I am met with confused faces. Then it becomes clear Nash chose to do exactly that, get rid of her previous look and shock.
The crowd is a little wooden and I’m worried it will stay this way. It’s not until ‘Kiss That Grrrl’, a track from her 2010 My Best Friend Is You album starts to play that the crowd starts to lighten up. Then ‘Do Wah Doo comes on and all my fears disappear! Nash was dropped by her label last year and it’s her fans that stuck behind her enabling her to continue touring and creating new music. She thanks everyone whole heartedly and looks a bit emotional too, creating an endearing moment.
The most surprising moment of the night … ‘Free My Pussy’. Were you shocked reading that? Good, that’s exactly the reaction I got hearing it. ‘Free My Pussy’ is a song dedicated to Pussy Riot, a feminist punk girl band who famously got arrested in 2012. Nash believes everybody should speak their minds and not be judged. Nash is passionate about politics and feminism and this is only too clear during her set.
Nash wins me over tonight, she empowers women and isn’t afraid to say what she thinks. Girl Talk may be a completely different direction for Nash, but this is exactly what will keep her fans loyal.
Studying BA (Hons) Design Futures at The University Of Salford hoping to move onto an MA in Social Media. In love with Manchester's music scene, i will never move!Best Gig - Massive Attack @ The Big Chill Festival 2010Best Album - Damien Rice 'O'Guilty Pleasure - B52's 'Love Shack' (Don't judge)
