Finagled my way into Bowery Ballroom to catch Kate Nash tonight. The show coincided with the stateside release of her debut album, which had already hit No. 1 in the U.K. And it got a glowing review from Jon Pareles in the NYT yesterday. Last time I saw that sort of enthusiasm from Pareles, it was directed at Feist. So maybe Kate's on her way to an iPod commercial and really big things in the U.S.
The show was fun. Super peppy, super simple. One dittie after another about adolescent fawning and love lost. Every now and then, seeing Kate banging away on her keyboard reminded me of Schroeder and the Peanuts gang.
Her youthful exuberance was generally endearing, but at times grating. The live act could definitely use some polish. But she's all of 20, so there's plenty of time for her to find her groove on stage.
Sidebar: What's the deal with couples who talk during shows? It's bad enough when the chatter comes from a gaggle of friends, but it's even worse from a couple. If you're still just getting to know each other, it would seem that a concert isn't a good venue for your "oh, you like that, too" babble. What can you really learn about each other while trying to talk over the performer other than that you're both incredibly annoying? And if you're a couple that has moved beyond the "oh, you like that, too" babble, what do you really need to say to each other that you didn't already or couldn't wait to say during the 12 hours of the day that you spend together away from the show?
