Kate Nash Gig Review at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, London. | MarkMeets | Celebrity News, Music, Movies, TV, London Film Premieres

We sent along our lively music reporter Hannah with VIP access to witness Kate Nash live at her European Tour homecoming at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London. She was supported by Vulkano, The Heartbreaks and The Tuts.

This is one very excited crowd. Mostly young, but still a decent amount of 30 – 50 year olds, all pottering around with large and small groups of friends, looking about and neck straining, finding the best spot to watch Kate Nash before she takes to the stage.

Emerging in a red dress and glittery clown, Nash looks reminds me of Dorothy from Oz meets Katy Perry. She starts off with something slow and emotional, which immediately has the audience captivated as silence quickly glosses over from one end of the venue to the next.

We are treated to a 60’s feel, musical and visionary interlude before Nash returns this time looking very rock chic with a black leather jacket, pink tutu, glittery and sparkly, punky and funky. It’s almost as if she’s raided the bargain bins at one of Brick Lanes ‘vintage’ stores to achieve tonight’s look.

Rocking the crowd with her highly impressive guitar skills, the audience is a sea of bopping heads and enthusiastic arms. This certainly wasn’t what I was expecting, but in a good way.

A few numbers in, we’re still on the rock meets 80’s punk vibe and I’m starting to wonder where the lovely Kate who plays the piano and sings nice songs has gone? Perhaps she’ll appear later.Kate continues to keep the crowd lapping at her every word, jump or guitar twang. Even I am ‘whoa ha ha ha hoo’ ing along now. Blimey, where’s the mosh pit – get involved!

“I just want your kiss boy” – is a catchy little number, the empire appears to be getting more excitable and busier by the minute. They all seem in be in their own little world these Nashers. It’s a delight to see.

Just over halfway and as the tempo drops, thus increases the queue for the women’s toilets. (Thank god I had a psychic moment and managed to avoid that ‘loo’-dicrous queue. “Don’t hang out with dickheads” – Nash bellows out to the cheering crowd before announcing, “this next track is all about your shit friends.”

Kate Nash – The singer: The songwriter. And sweary queen of pearls of wisdom. Then. The moment I had been waiting for. The one Nash track I am familiar with ‘Foundations’ is performed out to a now, very, VERY excitable crowd – even the front row looks like a scene from a ‘Beetlemania ‘ show. I watch as man crowd surfs before being pulled out by security, followed by a girl whose attempt is slightly less successful – as she is surfed and ‘dropped,’ much to my amusement. (Sorry whoever you are .)

Bringing the tempo down more, to what can only be described as, ‘Britney meets The Clash,’ Nash is bopping and rocking. And she is very good at doing so. Keeping the show personable with little messages to the crowd throughout, we find out Kate’s Mum is in the audience. I wonder f she minds her daughter swears so fucking much?

Kate introduces us to her extremely talented (and ever so cheery) band members. A reminder as to why they are on tour with one of Britain’s most successful female artists, a statistic which, Nash rightly points out, ‘is lacking in the industry today.’

As the evening feels as though it’s drawing to an end, a dozen lucky audience members ( hardcore fans ) come galloping excitingly onto the stage where they erupt into jumping, bopping and energetic laughing circles round a fast track, guitar playing Miss Nash before an explosion of rose and white petals are released from the ceiling.

“I’m a bitch, I’m a lover,” Kate belts out – as I look around, I notice the initial mixed crowd, now is majority made of 20-somethings, with their quirky styles; drinking pints and blue VK’s; I feel as though I am Uni again. And that is certainly no bad thing. So thank you for that memory Kate.

Finishing off the night, Kate treats us to a slower singing piano number. Ahh there’s the Kate I (thought I knew) know. She sings (says) along to what she ‘do do do, do do do dooby do do’ – does. She finishes the night on a high, the crowd still want more and I can see why.

Surprising but fantastic performance from Miss Nash. Not at all what I was expecting. The Kate Nash I thought I knew, slightly more ‘reserved’ shall we say; has been squashed and is now replaced by a mult talented, Indie rock, pop, punk ( and also still very sweet ) young, opinionated female artist, singer, songwriter, instrument player; who possibly doesn’t get the credit she deserves.

The ‘old Kate’ is now just a distant memory. Pretty much like my Uni days.