No more results on this page
Venue
Lineup
Venue
ST. VINCENT IN CONCERT:
Possessing a rare combination of art-school appeal and mainstream accessibility, St. Vincent's Annie Clark is well on her way to full blown pop stardom. From her collaborations with David Byrne and Sufjan Stevens to her acclaimed work as St. Vincent, Clark has demonstrated an unbridled creativity and commitment to pop experimentation, making her a favorite with fans and critics alike. Her recordings may be stunning, but it's her talents as a performer that really make Clark stand out — taking the stage in an architectural gown, Clark's otherworldly movements and ethereal vocals are the stuff of legend, making her 2014 tour dates a must for any fan of true avant-pop spectacle.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Born in Oklahoma, Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent, took up the guitar at age 12, going on to play in her high school's jazz band as a teenager. After spending three years at Boston's Berklee College of Music in the early '00s, Clark dropped out to pursue real-world musical experience, joining the Polyphonic Spree for their European tour. In 2006, she left the band to join Sufjan Steven's touring band, beginning to record as St. Vincent the same year. Her 2007 debut album Marry Me received praise for its intricate arrangements and unexpected compositional twists, paving the way for the success of 2009 sophomore effort Actor, a Top 10 hit on Billboard's Independent Albums Chart. With the early-2014 release of her fifth album, Clark once again drew unilateral praise from critics, cracking the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 and embarking on an international headlining tour.
FANS WHO BOUGHT TICKETS SAY:
" Even better live than on her albums, St. Vincent lit up the Fox. It was an awesome mashup reminiscent of Bowie, Mercury and Gaga. I loved it, and will be back for more."
"Gorgeous songs, surprising choreography, enchanted excitement. I urge anyone who loves sophisticated pop to see this show."
"Yes, yes, yes, and yes! Great playing, awesome sound, killer production aesthetics and an overall great SHOW. St. Vincent and her band are kicking butt and taking names."
Annie's guitar seemed muted in comparison to the bass synthesizer. The bass was so distorted it took away from the overall effect of the show. I was hoping to hear more of the guitar work - too bad it was not possible - except for a few solos. Disappointed she did not play "dig a pony" as part of the encore.
Here's the thing, the performance was great. The sonic textures were innovative, her guitar playing was gritty and interesting with some smokin' rhythm to it. Her singing and how the band supported it were really cool. The sad thing is that I was unable to discern much of the dynamics of the performance, and even some of the instrumentation because it was so loud. I like a bit of loud music for sure, I'm a guitar player, but even with filtered musician's earplugs (given it's only a mere 15db reduction) I found the show painful at times. The house sound at the Commodore wasn't being used, there was another desk setup, which leaves me to believe it was their own touring sound engineer that crushed the show. I was hoping this would be one of my top shows of the year, and there have been many. I was satisfied, but dissappointed. The experience lacked overall. I brought a couple friends down that don't really know the songs, but convinced them it would be a killer show. When I turned to look at them a couple times there facial expressions read something like looking at a car crash through a really overwhelmingly bright light, a sort of shielding of one's self. Shame. House of Blues, sort it out!!
This show was truly amazing. I feel like I'm not stressing that enough. St. Vincent's voice was as perfect live as when recorded, which seems an incredible feat — and one (given my own tendency toward scepticism) even I would have been wary to believe. But it's true; I can confirm that for you now. The volume was such that I couldn't help but feel even the slightest drum beats echoing through my chest cavity. It was very loud, and at times uncomfortably so. You should go if you get the chance. I would go again. I will go again, whenever the opportunity arises.
Annie Clarke, the much deserved leader of St. Vincent showed that she belongs on the center stage. I should know this, but why isn't the band called Annie Clarke? The back-up band was solid, but all eyes were on Annie. Her voice is stunning, her guitar playing solid, with a natural stage presence, and i won't even mention her playful sexy style!
St Vincent - or more accurately Annie Clark and Co. are on the way to great things - Great show and a fantastic Beatles cover, Dig a Pony, to boot - you can't get much more for $15 bucks these days - Excellent
St. Vincent was great, unfortunately the sound at the Horseshoe wasn't. The volume was cranked so high that only a couple instruments could actually be made out from the muddled sound. The constant feedback was atrocious. The entire experience was very disappointing.
"What do you think this is? The piano bar at the Holiday Inn?" You couldn't blame Annie Clark for responding that way to the song titles being called out during the encore. You couldn't blame the fans calling out their favourites either. But, St. Vincent was in control of this evening, and they had planned the whats, wheres and whens to deliver a stunning assault on the senses. Even a few ghosts in the sound setup didn't upset things. Visually and audibly, pop met that crash of guitars. Even the lights were a cut above a standard show. This was a gem of a show at the Horseshoe.
St. Vincent, like St. Vincent (the island nation), was... volcanic? Nah, wait: explosive. Holy moly, she can shred!
