When I heard that Kate Nash was playing Leeds, I didn’t expect there to be much of a turn out for the London lass made famous for ‘Foundations’. Yet even before the support band, Leeds Stylus was bustling with keen Nash fans, crowding towards the barrier before any late comers could take there place. Despite the surprising mixture of age and gender, this was an audience who were all looking to get a piece of the glittering ball of girl power that is Kate Nash!
Support band, Gothic Tropic, kicked the night into full gear with their indie/pop sounds that got everyone in the dancing mood. Straight out of L.A, Gothic tropic’s infectious funky mellow sounds were a mixture of delicious guitar riffs, charming bass lines, groovy drums, and addictive vocals. Despite announcing in her thick LA accent that she was getting over a cold, the voice of Gothic Tropic’s front woman, Cecillia, continued to entice the crowd more and more with her melodious vocals. With each of the band members sporting a massive grin on their faces, growing with every song, it was clear that this was a band who were at their happiest when on stage. Their groovy, feel good tracks certainly seemed to attract the audience as Stylus was now completely crowded; Gothic Tropic were the perfect band to welcome the audience to a night of dancing and good vibes!
As Nash finally walked on to the dark stage to the screams of her many fans,she started her set with the 2013 hit ‘Sister’. She exploded into song without any warning, kicking and screaming the lyrics with all her might and energy. The crowd erupted into dance and carnage as Nash jumped about the stage in her own little world, foreshadowing this as a night of pure sass, girl power and rock and roll.
After a few more songs, it became clear that Kate’s fans are hugely dedicated and above all, happy. When Kate proceeded to sing ‘Mouthwash’, the whole crowd joined her in chorus as she even handed the mic to a couple of fans to have a sing along with her. If there is one thing Kate Nash should be admired for, it is how down to earth she is; while her fans thrashed along together, she climbed in over the barrier to join in with them, as though each and everyone one of them was just an old friend to her. As she Waltzed around the stage in her sparkling green dress, she even accepted an eager fans marriage proposal: “Well that’s the first proposal of the tour. See you at the alter tomorrow!”.
As the night went on, the ginger bombshell did not stop moving as she was having the time of her life singing with her fans. Yet as Kate came to a new song, ‘Musical Theatre’, Nash took a minute to explain how this was a song she had written about her mental health issues and dedicated the song to those suffering from mental health at the moment. Kate went on to discuss the bad state of the political times, as well as bringing up how mental health continues to be a topic that isn’t touched on thoroughly enough. She stressed that we need to be kind to one another, but most of all, kind to ourselves. As Kate’s speech received the biggest applaud of them all, the audience were left staring in admiration as the London girl played her song with emotion and passion.
‘Underestimate The Girl’ was Kate’s second to last song, and arguably one of the most chaotic songs of the night. As Nash began the song along side her girl band, a few fans who had been picked out from the crowd joined her on stage and as all the band came together, Kate and her fans erupted into dance together. Without any warning, Nash dived into the crowd, crowd surfing as she stuck up her middle fingers in the air! Although Kate left the stage after this song, she was dragged back from the chants of the audience all screaming for her to play one more. Her fans burst into song as Nash began one of her classic songs, ‘Mariella’. With a last whirl around the stage and one more sing a long with her audience, Nash thanked the crowd as she left the stage for the final time.
If one thing is for sure, I might have not walked in there as a Kate Nash fan but I came out of their head of heels in love with this queen!
Sarah Oglesby