6th August | O2 Academy
photo by Charlotte Patmore
Most people remember Kate Nash as a sassy, English accented indie-pop star, with a knack for slamming her exes with a catchy chorus or two. While she’s continued to create music since her 2007 debut, no release has made an impact like Made of Bricks; spawning singles ‘Mouthwash’, ‘Pumpkin Soup’ and of course, ‘Foundations’, it’s truly an album that captures the spirit of the late 00s indie-pop scene.
Celebrating its anniversary, Nash has embarked on a full UK tour, with support from Oklahoma’s Skating Polly. Formed of two teenage sisters, Skating Polly have mammoth energy and enough gusto to fill the O2 Academy as effortlessly as any headliner. Spitting lyrics of adolescent rage, their huge riffs were enough to keep the venue full from beginning to end.
To make way for Kate Nash, the stage was adorned with inflatable clouds and blossom trees, with an all-female live band. Walking on stage in a giant cloak-dress covered in multi-coloured teddy bears, Nash treated the audience to a tease of foundations before nipping off stage half-way through to reappear with a sea-life inspired outfit.
While this was an anniversary tour, Nash played each track with an approach that made them feel fresh. Running from both sides of the stage, jumping and kicking, it was hard not to break a smile and sing-a-long to the likes of ‘We Get On’ and ‘Mariella’. During ‘Skeleton Song’, Nash asked an old school friend to come on stage for an impromptu dance performance, with the pals beaming from ear-to-ear. It was an atmosphere that truly celebrated strong female friendships, mimicked by most of the attendees in the audience.
The slower numbers allowed Nash’s vocals to come to the forefront, as she sang with a simple acoustic accompaniment. ‘Birds’ and ‘Merry Happy’ were particularly poignant – not for the songs themselves but the crowd’s reaction – belting out every syllable as if the songs had only just recently reached number one.
With the addition of several recent songs – ‘Agenda’ and an unreleased song centering around Nash’s mental health – the Made of Bricks show was truly a force. Nash radiated positivity from the first to the last note, marking her as not only one of the biggest and best pop stars of yesteryear but today, too. If anything, this was a show for people to take notice of Kate Nash again and allow her obvious talents to take over our radios once again.
Check out ‘Pumpkin Soup’ below.
