Live Review: Kate Nash - Koko, London 28/11/2024
2000s indie-pop sensation Kate Nash took to the stage at KOKO, the beautiful musical palace of Camden, for a show that proved to be both celebratory and rousing in equal measure.
The lights went low, and the screams of the crowd soared as a pulsating dance number, accompanied by what can only be described as rave-like lights, welcomed Nash’s band onto the stage. The lineup consisted of a bassist, guitarist, drummer, and pianist/conductor, along with a troupe of violinists uniformly dressed in white with black bowties—a mix of class and party that remained a constant throughout the night.
Nash stepped onto the stage in a floral dress, commanding the space with the effortlessness of a seasoned professional. With that same ease, she burst into song with her signature London-accented style, opening with Millions of Heartbeats, one of her latest singles from her 2024 album, 9 Sad Symphonies. The night offered a delightful mix of tracks from across her discography—though, of course, we all knew what song we were waiting for. So did Nash, who cheekily teased the opening of Foundations throughout the evening, using the violins to keep the anticipation alive.
Nash and her band moved seamlessly from classics like Mouthwash to new tracks like Misery with an ease that proved she’s just as much a pop star now as she was 20 years ago.
Nash made headlines this week for her sexually explicit protest against ticket distributor LiveNation, criticizing their role in breaking the music industry and causing grassroots venues to shut down. Halfway through her set, she broke into a fiery rant, exclaiming, “A country with no grassroots venues is apocalyptic!” After facing backlash for her protest—which included selling bum pictures on OnlyFans—she defiantly told the crowd, “I am a woman, and I can do whatever the fuck I want!” The rage and passion emanating from Nash was inspiring, one of many unexpected highlights of the night.
This anger shone through in her set with back-to-back rock tracks—Cherry Pickin', Death Proof, and Action—accompanied by red lights blazing and electric guitars roaring. Nash’s soft vocals paired with aggressive riffs and guitar solos to die for, underscored her third-wave feminist ideologies with electrifying energy.
Nash’s punk-rock intensity didn’t stop at political ranting. She threw herself into the crowd, collapsed onto the floor, and got the audience to raise their middle fingers to the sky—all while twirling around the stage in her floral dress. It was hard to determine what icon she was channelling here, Stevie Nicks or Joan Jett?
The setlist was thoughtfully crafted to showcase Nash’s multifaceted talent while satisfying her fanbase. Songs from her latest project were brought to life with a fresh perspective, proving the irreplaceable value of live performance. Tracks from her established catalogue were sung with such precision it felt as though she’d forced time to stand still.
Her tongue-in-cheek songwriting shone through as Dickhead and Wasteman were played back-to-back, with Nash asking the crowd if they knew any dickheads or wastemen—much to the sold-out theatre’s amusement.
From there, she transitioned into a collaborative song of love, getting the audience to provide backup vocals for My Little Alien, a heartfelt ode to her dog that left everyone beaming.
An orchestral reprise of Mouthwash slowed the room’s energy, conjuring a wonderful sense of love and connection. The crowd was perfectly primed for the night’s climax: Foundations. As one of the 2000s' most iconic and recognizable songs filled the venue, the room was drenched in euphoria, and a wave of cathartic nostalgia lingered in the air, held in that space forever.
Words by Adam Mir
