It would be easy to regret an attempt to recreate my most cherished memory of the year. St Vincent's show at Manchester Cathedral in February was an unbelievably intense experience from the front rail. So, my expectations of this gig at the nearby Albert Hall were immense; but were almost completely fulfilled. This former Methodist church is one of the most dramatic buildings in Manchester, boasting stained glass windows and a working pipe organ behind the stage, but couldn't quite match the gilded spectacle of the Anglican Cathedral. Alas, the sound was a little bass heavy near the stage, blurring the vocals slightly. If the awe of my first encounter with one of the most exciting contemporary acts couldn't be visited, the show was still incredibly theatrical, blending elements of a rock concert, ballet, and play into an other worldly, fantastical multi media extravaganza.
A review of one of her shows earlier this month claimed that "the audience had a collective dream". Annie Clark is astonishingly poised and precise on stage, whether she's pretending to be a robot or faking her death. Her show resembles performance art: everything is meticulously choreographed, including the apparently random, crazy facts she presents to the audience. There's a deliberate sense of chaos; of possessing the power to upset the established order and confound expectations. So, towards the end of her set, Annie swung off the balcony railings, climbing to the upper level to drink from an audience member's pint of beer. Just before this, she'd leapt off the dangerously high stage to allow some of us on the front row to strum her guitar to Your Lips Are Red. I recalled her introduction 90 minutes earlier: "a very special welcome to the freaks and the others". Annie had created a place where you could be yourself, leading the way by taking insane risks with her performance. It should be no surprise that she's just won Q's Maverick Award.
Some might find it all a little pretentious or contrived: Annie claims the St Vincent persona is based on a cult leader from the near future, and as The Guardian said: "a huge amount of control clearly goes into sounding this deranged". Lighting and make up give St Vincent the appearance of a doll, this representation of the female form perhaps intended as a caricature. The Digital Witness tour is also a commentary about the impact of technology and social media in modern times. A key theme is that it can get in the way of our happiness and relationships. She sings: "If I can’t show it, you can’t see it; what’s the point of doing anything at all", so the audience was asked to refrain from digital capture. Instead, like an accomplished politician, she attempts to engage everyone in the hall personally, looking into their eyes. At times, deciphering the meaning of her message can seem challenging, but this simply adds to the intrigue.
Annie's already played an extraordinary 147 dates this year, yet there's was no hint of the routine. We happily received a preview of Peita from the Black Friday 10 inch EP announced this week, although a personal highlight was I Prefer Your Love. For all the visual and dramatic depth, Annie's extraordinarily virtuosic guitar playing that stands out. Her uncle, a jazz guitarist, is a key influence, and although her forms are more concise, the riffs are surely the result of hours of practice. Two backing musicians on keyboards and drums plus Toko Yasuda on backing vocals helped to create a tight, crunchy sound. It ranges across funk, pop and metal, yet as Prince Johnny demonstrates, moments of melodic beauty stand out amongst the prevailing angular crunchiness. There is also an air of playfulness in Annie's demeanour, a spirit of optimism which belies the dark themes of the lyrics. I identify strongly with a quasi religious theme of rebirth: in her first monologue she said: "You're here because no mattter how many times you've been blindsided... we never ever ever give up hope". St Vincent gift to the world is to provide an all-consuming escape from reality, allowing the redemptive power of art to transform our perception of life.
Setlist
- Rattlesnake
- Digital Witness
- Cruel
- Marrow
- Every Tear Disappears
- I Prefer Your Love
- Pieta
- Actor Out of Work
- Surgeon
- Cheerleader
- Prince Johnny
- Birth in Reverse
- Regret
- Huey Newton
- Bring Me Your Loves
- Strange Mercy
- Chloe in the Afternoon
- Your Lips Are Red
No comments:
Post a Comment