KRISTEEN YOUNG

There’s not many people who can put a crackle in the air on a cold Monday night, even before they take the stage, as well as bring together a star-studded crowd including Tony Visconti and London Night Czar / BBC 6 presenter Amy Lamé, but step forward New York’s lauded Kristeen Young. Supported by the talents and very different sounds of Bishi and Guttfull, she created an unforgettable night.

Guttfull are consummate party-starters, their high energy sax punk and deliciously anarchic sing-along choruses, make them instant friends. We’ve already a string of favourite anthems, the Trump-challenging Arsehole, as well as troll-battling Keyboard Warrior and Gaslighting Motherfucker. You get the idea. Check out the making of their latest EP #notallmen.

Bishi was doing something very special - UK premiering new material that she wrote on her recent residency at National Sawdust in New York. Her song cycle ‘The Good Immigrant’, was in turn powerful, haunting and much more dance-orientated than some of her previous folk-edged work. With her looped and layered vocals, virtuoso sitar-playing, and stylised moves, she demonstrated complete electropop starriness. Her new release ‘Who has Seen The Wind’ was also a highlight, and she is playing Tate Modern on Friday, with her own WITCiH salon as part of Tate Lates.

The inimitable Kristeen Young was playing her first UK headline set of the year and has recently been supporting, and we suspect out-damning, The Damned. Where most performers aim to give it 100%, she gives that to the power of ten, whether that’s with her voice, keyboard playing, volume, or attitude.

Kristeen has recorded extensively with Tony Visconti, duetted and collaborated with David Bowie, and made an album with Dave Grohl.

Live, she is passionate, fierce, and funny, her special brand of art-rock combining elements of prog, punk, electronic, and operatic style in an absolutely extraordinary way, delivered as if she will melt every mic in the house. The set featured songs from her latest and eighth album Live At The Witch’s Tit, co-produced by Visconti.

The sounds Kristeen pounds out of her keyboard are unbelievable too, it’s as if she has a bass guitar, chainsaw and circuit bent synth all hidden inside. The instrument is disguised in a silver wrapping, so maybe she does. With Baby Jef White on drums and Sylvia Black on bass, the fierce and fabulous trio commanded the night.