St. Vincent @ Union Transfer (11/2)

I have been a moderate St. Vincent fan since her 2009 release of Actor, so when I saw that her highly anticipated new album Strange Mercy dropped in September, I immediately downloaded it. Since my purchase (in mid-October, again as I said I am only a moderate fan), I have listened to the whole thing through at least twenty times- and every time it gets better. I became a true St. Vincent fan. So, when my friend Dawn (another WQHS DJ and all around knowledgeable music connoisseur) asked if I wanted to go with her to see St. Vincent, my answer was an unhesitant “When?”

St. Vincent (aka: Annie Clark) has a truly amazing stage presence. She is commanding, sexy, innocent, and bad ass all at the same time. She moved around the stage with comfort and grace, displaying her ability as a technically phenomenal musician and a captivating performer. She often interacted with her fellow band-mates, and at one point during the encore, hovered over the front row, touching excited hands as they grabbed at her guitar, causing it to accidently drop into the audience, a testament to her dedication to her craft and her crowd.

            Though the encore had some old favorites, her set was mostly taken from her new album. However, even as I’ve listened to Strange Mercy quite a few times, I was surprised nonetheless by the way she adapted her music for the stage. In this sense, the recorded St. Vincent is a far cry from her live renditions of her work. Her style hints at a serious and adroit understanding of rock (let’s be real, she sheds) despite the wide-eyed indie sweetheart appearance that has come to dominate her image. As a result, the songs that I practically memorized became new and exciting, as I become more and more lost in the strong and subtle vibrations emanating from her microphone and her guitar. I am not a huge fan of live albums (I don’t need a bunch of drunk girls yelling out a musician’s name in the middle of my favorite song), but I would rush out to buy St. Vincent’s in a heartbeat. It is different, yet familiar; novel, yet nostalgic- kind of like catching a glimpse of a long lost friend on the platform of a passing train station. In this regard, I give Clark full marks for her show.

            A quick side note: this is not a concert for people with epilepsy. The light show was absolutely intense.  There were colors and strobe lights and other luminescent nonsense glistening and glowing around and above the stage like celestial orbs.  I was in awe of how carefully she choreographed, timed, and detailed the spectacle aspect of her performance.

            Overall, an amazing concert with great people and, most importantly, fabulous music. Happy listening.

- Rosa Escandon, MC^2 (Wednesdays from 8-9 am @ WQHS.org)