On her first U.S. tour, Brit newcomer Kate Nash accomplished something few established musicians have - on Thursday, she silenced the sold-out 9:30 club.
Nash is the latest musician to cash in on the girl-with-piano fad with her debut CD, "Made of Bricks," but surprisingly, she deserves her recently found fame. With confessional lyrics, a powerful voice and an energy reserve unique to a 20-year-old, Nash's live show is a testament to the songstress's talent.
The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players opened the evening. Lead singer Jason Trachtenburg summed up the trio's sound in his opening words: "We're an indie-vaudeville, conceptual art rock, slideshow band. We've got the market cornered."
Along with wife Tina and daughter Rachel, the Trachtenburgs create light, minimalist pop based on the lives of anonymous, dead strangers whose secrets the family discovered through purchasing slides from garage sales. With Jason on keyboard, Rachel on drums and Tina on slide projector, the trio takes what could be an inane excuse for rock 'n' roll and makes it amusing - for the first few songs.
However, the Trachtenburgs quickly lost the crowd's attention after the novelty of it all wore off. The drawn-out ukulele solo by 14-year-old Rachel with strange vocal accompaniments from their tour managers, as well as a five-minute spiel on their homemade accessories and a 'Rachel Doll,' fell flat.
But after a near-hour-long set change, the crowd forgot the Trachtenburgs, swaying to the between-act mix of The Supremes, The Beatles and The Chiffons.
Band already on stage, Nash finally entered to overwhelming screams.
After a quick fluff of her cherry-highlighted hair, she began playing "Pumpkin Soup." What sounds like a tame jam on her CD translated into a groove-heavy, loud number that the audience loved.
Without a word, Nash launched straight into "Shit Song (You're Full of It)." She shed a bit of the quirk displayed in her opening number and got down to the business of playing, unable to sit still at her keyboard.
Nash began playing guitar as a teen and found fame as a featured part of Lily Allen's MySpace page. After releasing "Foundations" on the British charts, her debut CD, "Made of Bricks," came out in August 2007.
"Foundations" was good, but her full-length release was better. "Made of Bricks" hit U.S. shores and made immense waves, with Nash displaying the British poise her U.S. audience appreciated.
Alternately bashful in her between-song mumbles and frantic in "Skeleton" and the best song of the night, "Mouthwash," Nash kept the crowd's attention.
Before beginning two solo numbers, Nash asked the noisy audience to quiet down. As the guitarist began the intro, Nash simply stood on stage, waiting for the audience members to be quiet. Only after they realized she was serious and all at once refrained from talking did Nash begin playing the haunting "Nicest Thing," followed by a new song, "I Hate Seagulls."
Even when playing solo, Nash captivated the crowd with the emotion displayed in her music. When backed by her band, the stage was alive with furious playing and bright lights, often flashing rapidly to give a strobe light effect.
The only part of the night that lost the drive displayed through her two-hour set was the encore, where Nash let the evening slide into a unguided trail of talking and unoriginal music. Thankfully, before the evening's energy totally stopped, Nash closed with the playful "Merry Happy," ending the concert on a high note.
Funky, earnest songwriting combined with talent created an evening that few concert-goers failed to enjoy. If the future of music looks something like Kate Nash, then the years to come are pretty bright.
