I have been looking forward to going to see a Bat For Lashes live gig again and on the whole I wasn't too disappointed. However...
Half way through the gig I went to the loo and three (very drunk) 'old blokes' were pissing on the floor, failing to hit the adequately positioned new porcelain white urinals in the beautifully (million pound) re-vamped Colston Hall. As the fluid began to lap around everybody's feet one retorted, ' When is she going to do 'Baboushka'? This reference to Kate Bush is perhaps a fair observation, lyrically there is a similar 'fairy tale' quality and musically there is an infatuation with intricate detail.
The first track they (she) did was 'Horse and I' (see the player below) a great start to the show. There appeared to be problems with the foldback on stage, with panicky gestures to the ear, this however did not spoil the evening - it sounded fine out front....even though I had to throw my shoes away it was a great event!
Natasha Kahn: Primary School teacher meets prog-folk goddess.
There's something about live music that just makes sense. It realises what you hear on a record. Bat For Lashes are a prime example of why live music is more fulfilling than listening to a record. Although their albums (Fur and Gold and Two Suns) are beautifully crafted, the live sound is edgier, purer and ultimately more poignant.
After catching one of their performances in Bristol in April 2009, I was hooked. Clad in a boiler suit and a Jacobean ruff, frontwoman Natasha Kahn took absolute control. Her quirky mannerisms (howling at the audience; hanging prayer bells round her neck etc.) only added to the slightly bizarre nature of the performance. Surrounded by old TVs, glowing angels and stuffed woodland creatures, it was like looking into an Indie-Narnia.
Ex Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherly took her place on Bass and Guitars; Sarah Jones of New Young Pony Club fame took a seat behind the drums; and syth-maestro Ben Christophers joined on electronics and whatever else he could find. Together with Natasha, they recreated the sounds of the two albums with an added dimension - one that made you realise Kahn's dream extends far beyond what goes on in the studio.
Of course, not everything is perfect. And Bat For Lashes' consistency is one such thing. After rebooking to see them later in the year, I was eager to see how they could fill a larger stage. They didn't. In the six months between the two gigs had seen a surge in popularity - one which seemed to make the band feel particularly uncomfortable. Natasha received several calls from the crowd and crumbled under the attention. An awkward smile was all she could muster, occasionally throwing a half-hearted 'thank you'. It seems that being appreciated as a performer and creator means far more to her than being a star. Or maybe she's just tired.
Visit her page on
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and one of the live tracks 
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