The first thing you’ll notice about this song is the drums. The driving drums, while not tribal, certainly inspire tribal movement. Uninhibited swaying, limbs akimbo, and pure delight, is what I experience when I listen to this song. The lyrics are a slap to the face, but not in a negative way. They demand your attention and the song is nothing but an ode to self.
This song essentially encapsulates the feelings that I experienced when I saw Kate Boy perform at Glasslands in Brooklyn earlier this week. I wish all bands demanded the attention of a crowd in a particularly small venue the way Kate Boy did, because there wasn’t a single person that wasn’t engaged in some way. I attended the show by myself, and quickly squeezed my way through the couples and adorable fan boys to something that was sort of the front. I was close enough to make eye contact with the lead female singer. The entire band wore the same outfits: black baseball caps, black loosely fitted outfits that showed no figure and no skin, with metallic strappy bits that came around their upper torsos.
The performance started and ended with a tremendous amount of energy and power. I’m talking about the kind of synth and drum playing that wasn’t created by hands, but by bodies. Full body involvement in this concert, and that reflected on the audience. I was alone and I danced my ass off. If that doesn’t say something, then the fact that almost everyone I could see was involved in some sort of bodily movement, surely relays my point. At this point in my life, I think enough people (including the you all, the readers of EMPT) know that dancing and what it unleashes in me, is one of the most important activities I can do for myself. It’s like a drug, the mind just goes on autopilot. It’s also a beautiful thing to watch the people responsible for making music get so into that their audience reflects their movements. I did it, I totally tried to copy the lead singers dance moves. Was I successful? That’s not the point.
Kate Boy showed me that they were not only supremely capable musicians on my headphones and in my iTunes library, but on a stage too. I was blown away by this intimate performance (not to mention, their first in the US), and I urge everyone to see these phenom performers as soon as possible. They’re on tour. So you can do that.
Here’s my favorite song of theirs, even though nothing beats the incredible build up from In Your Eyes. The beat in this one trumps all.
Enjoy!