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Kate Nash, Peggy Sue And The Pirates

Description: Off-beat electro-pop singer-songwriter from North Harrow.



Rating: 3 out of 5 André Paine's rating
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire Shepherd's Bush Green, W12 8TT

Phone: 0208354 3300

Website: www.shepherds-bush-empire.co.uk

Email: mail@shepherds-bush-empire.co.uk

Extra info: Pub

Transport: Tube: Shepherd's Bush Transport for London , Tube / Bus: 49, 72, 94, 95, 148, 207, 220, 237, 260, 283, 272, 295, 607 Transport for London

Loveable Kate's date with her screaming mates

Kate Nash
Girls with attitude: precocious Kate Nash endeared herself to her teenage fans with her story-telling songs at Shepherds Bush Empire
Kate Nash Kate Nash fans

By André Paine
14 Nov 2007


She was a phenomenon in the summer with her long-running hit Foundations and the No 1 album Made Of Bricks, and now Kate Nash has proved she can sell concert tickets, too.

The first of two sold-out Shepherds Bush shows was a spirited affair full of screaming teenagers and loveable tunes. Nash herself was endearingly girlish sat behind her keyboard at the front of the stage, but she also displayed plenty of personality.

"When we booked this gig I was like, Shepherds Bush, are you serious?" the 20-year-old from Harrow told the crowd.

She seemed perfectly at ease, though, and nonchalantly uttered "Hi mum" after a couple of songs.

With her big red skirt and oldfashioned glamour, she didn't look much like her Topshop-wearing fans. But the reaction to the opening Mariella showed the adoration for this precocious storyteller-even if it was a thoroughly weird song about a girl who glues her lips together to avoid speaking. Actually, Nash sang quite a few weird tunes including Skeleton Song, which is about a skeletal friend, but some witty lyrics and an acrobatic vocal carried it off. She switched to an acoustic guitar on Birds, which was sweetly streetwise.

The scenery including trees and a horse was a reminder of her stage school background, and some of the songs had shades of musical theatre, which is never a good thing. Her youthfulness was probably to blame for the more rambling music and lyrics, and the band needed a bit more leadership. However, Nash's younger followers clearly liked her attitude.

"This next song is a bit of a quiet one, so it would be really nice if you could shut up please," she said, although they still cheered and sang along. The show hit its stride during the recent single Mouthwash, which was effectively her rock song with its pounding piano, flashing lights and wild yodelling.

Foundations was the inevitable highlight, though, with the fans singing and dancing along. And Nash had to dodge a lemon segment once she'd sung the line about eating them because she's "so bitter"; it's become a gig tradition, although you suspect she must already be weary of it.

For the encore, she pummelled the keyboard again on her new single, Pumpkin Soup, a sassy tune that had all the easygoing fun of a school disco.

Kate Nash, it seems, is still the sound of 2007.

Playing tonight, returns only. 0208 354 3300

Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.

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