Gig Review
For a woman noted for her flamboyant and outlandish costumes and headgear, Natasha Khan was a model of restraint for her intimate Q gig. Instead, it was pretty her bewitching howl which was the focal point as she played her Sony Ericsson Presents Q The Music Club Live at Hard Rock Café show.
That’s not to say there were no eccentricities - a denim dungaree jumpsuit, a single lacy black glove on her left hand and streaks of green eye shadow at the top of her stunning cheekbones were her visual props for the evening, as well as a stage decked with religious figurines.
As she prepares to release her second album Two Suns she used her appearance to showcase the new material with a set of predominantly new tracks including set opener Glass, a moody windswept poem and a brave voice-led introduction to the mesmerising swoops ahead.
Not that it proved a problem, but it needed to be a pretty arresting performance to keep the crowd from craning their necks to watch the special guest perched at a table towards the back of the crowd. Such was the pulling power of a Bat For Lashes show that none other than Amy Winehouse had been tempted to head out to catch a glimpse, accompanied by burly minders and tucking into a hearty salad.
Onstage, a live band - which featured former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley - recreated perfectly the largely electronica and percussion approach to Khan's recordings, but it was the voice which dominated – breathy, soaring and genuinely dazzling live. Despite a wealth of new material (including the climactic Siren Song and charming Stevie Nicks-alike Daniel), Khan found space for old favourites such as Sarah and the Spector-beat of What’s A Girl To Do.
Setlist:
Glass
Sleep Alone
Horse and I
Daniel
Siren Song
Sarah
Peace of Mind
Pearl’s Dream
What’s a Girl to Do
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Moon and Moon
Two Planets
Fan Review
Our lucky competition winner won a Sony Ericsson phone, opportunity to review the gig and interview the band (shot on a Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot™ phone). See below to see what they thought:
"Having been lucky enough to see Bat For Lashes last summer supporting Radiohead at Victoria Park I was expecting another good performance from Natasha Khan, but nothing could have prepared me for the magical experience I had in the front row at the Hard Rock Cafe last night.
Natasha came onto stage looking unbelievable in a denim catsuit not many could pull off! From start to finish she threw herself into the performance engaging the audience with her natural stage presence, enchanting voice and powerful music. Bat for Lashes showcased songs from her new album, ‘Two Suns’, a personal favourite of mine being Glass, which featured tribal beats and showed off her impressive range. I had a fantastic evening and I can't wait to own this album!"
Rachel Collins
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