It is becoming increasingly rare that pop music is perceived as something more than tunes you can move your feet to. With the advent of the internet music generation, we see more and more music that is taken to serve some utility. Be it something you engage with intellectually, something you “trip out” to, or simply something for dancing, it would seem that we have music for every conceivable time and place. So when an artist comes along and puts out something that refuses to be singularly utilized, it is important that we pay attention to it.
The Royale was sold out that Wednesday night, and full of people eager to see Kimbra for the final concert of her U.S tour. I arrived just in time to catch the end of the first song from the Stepkids, the opener for the evening. A three piece combo from Connecticut (yes, Connecticut), their unique blend of jazz, pop, dance rock, and r&b was incredibly impressive – these guys were clearly jazz players, and it showed. Their songs were characterized by catchy hooks, dense harmonies (the drummer sang too!) and extended periods of improvisation. Their ability to write and perform songs that were both intricate and accessible was truly inspiring, and I found myself excited throughout. On top of that, the visuals were amazing with psychedelic sequences projected onto giant white screens. However, the highlight of their set came towards the end when they performed a stripped down rendition of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” in three part harmony with just a violin and a bass drum as accompaniment. It was truly beautiful. When their set finally ended, I was sad to see them go but I was really excited to see Kimbra so i got over it.
Kimbra was nothing short of amazing. I had been listening to her album “Vows” obsessively for the last month, and I was eager to see how she would be able to pull off such a dense and diverse album in a live setting. She opened the set with “Limbo” and I knew immediately that i was it was going to be a great show. Her band was incredible, tight and together while seamlessly incorporating the live and electronic elements that each song called for. The harmonies were well practiced, the sound was balanced and clear, and Kimbra’s signature live vocal sampling was on point. The best, and most impressive part of the whole set was the fact that she was able to play each song impeccably well without sounding too similar to the original recording. Some songs would even break out into long prog-rock jams cadences melodic noise-jams. The highlight of the night however, was when she managed to quiet the entire audience down to play “Settle Down” from the bottom up. The whole set was nothing short of remarkable, and by the time it was over I was incredibly satisfied and a little bit amazed.
Kimbra is an artist whose music transcends utility. It’s sufficiently complex, elegantly textured, and incredibly catchy. It is representative of an effort to make music that can both sell records, and progress the art-form. After this concert, it became even more clear to me that artists like Kimbra and The Stepkids are the future of popular music. I feel incredibly fortunate to have attended what I now consider to be one of the best concerts of my life, and I hope the world is ready for the force of music that is Kimbra.
By: Sid Vashi