Review: KT Tunstall @ GAMH
The spunky singer-songwriter KT Tunstall lit up the stage at her concert on Mother’s Day at the Great American Music Hall. The venue, which already has an intimate feeling of it’s own, complimented her solo acoustic tour perfectly and although the crowd wasn’t in the mood to dance, they could not have been more enthralled and enraptured by her performance.
KT is exceptionally personable and announced right off the bat that her parents were in the audience. “And when the parents are at a show,” she admitted, “you don’t wannt a ‘nice crowd.’ You want people to be naughty.” Well, that didn’t quite happen as the audience was comprised of mostly families (Mother’s Day outings, I’m sure), young couples, kids, and older fans alike. Nothing too rowdy.
She’s an absolutely adorable, and yet entirely commanding guitarist and singer. KT switches effortlessly between acoustic guitar, piano, electric guitar, and back again all while chatting with the crowd between instruments. And that’s not all – loop-pedals are another one of her specialties. She laid down rhythm loop tracks for most of her songs using the body of her guitar, a nearby tambourine, a kick-drum, whistles, vocal harmonies, and snaps.
Mostly performing songs of her latest LP Tiger Suit, she also played a few off of her newly released EP The Scarlet Tulip, (only available at shows and on her website) but the inspiration to dance didn’t hit the crowd until “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” – in the middle of which she busted out a bit of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” And, of course, there was more dancing for her encore performance of “Suddenly I See.” She even invited all the kids in the front to come on stage and dance during the hit song and didn’t seem too bothered when one of them accidentally unplugged her mic for the last chorus. “Give it up for the 13-year old who unplugged the mic!” she yelled as the stagehands quickly fixed the issue. The crowd loved it.
KT Tunstall is one of those rare performers who can rock a fast song, move your heart during a slow song, and have you laughing in between. She’s definitely one of the music industry’s secret little stars.
