Preserving The Performance - Kylie Price @ Green note - Review & Full Video
I first caught Kylie Price at the British Country Music Festival, where she played a short 30-minute set completely solo. I was blown away by the mixture of upbeat and slower down songs. Upon finding out she was playing a local show near me, as she is now based in London, and at one of my favourite venues, the Green Note, I turned up at 6 PM expecting not to be at the front, but I was flying solo in the queue for another 30 minutes, and they were there for downstairs. It came to doors, and there were only 3 people in the queue, very strange for a sold-out gig at the Green Note and even one hosted by Talentbanq.
After getting in at 7, there was a trickle of people coming in for the next hour, and then all of a sudden, at 8 PM, everyone arrived. Very strange, normally the room would be filled out by now. 8:30 came along, and it was time for the opening set from… he played the start of his set on the electric guitar and then switched to the piano for the last few. He has real great vocal range; those high notes were just wow.
Quick break and it was on to the headline act, Kylie Price. She opened with a track called "Wide," a song about why she was a bit of a psychopath in her last relationship, but the intro to it she was talking about how she is now in a happy relationship and how her bf asked if she wanted to do a thing. The soft playing and the vocals are just wow, and that high moment of the range instantly knew this was going to be a special gig. Harder strum on the guitar, and we're in full flow combined with soft plucking. What an opening song.
Next track "Why Are You Drinking" was written when she was 19. More perfect strumming for effect with that power vocals coming out. Slightly heavier strumming for added effect at times more excellent range.
Next track could be the #kp4ed song but called "Keeping on” the Track, definitely an Ed Sheeran vibe. It's based on the story of when Ed came to NZ, and she tried to get the support slot for his one and only show.
Next track called "Tom," a song about one of their friend's lives and the perspectives. One of her friends happened to be in the room called Tom, but she was quick to point out that it is not about him. "You're very nice to Tom," she joked. Shorter longer breaks between the strokes for this song and soft, more sentimental lyrics. What a song! It is about a relationship from one of her friends and how it went. The vocal runs on some of the sections are amazing.
At this point, the support act, Duncan, came back on stage after a brief story about how she had messaged other artists about working together since moving over here, and Duncan being the only one to respond, and that their musical relationship has grown, and another motion about where they're doing a thing. For this track Duncan is on the electric, sliding around on this track, and there are such powerful lyrics in this: “It's so easy to find the devil.” The backing of the electric guitar with her added strumming, the vocal range, what a moment! Track “Its So Easy”
The next track started with short stories about feeling lonely moving to London, coming from such a small town with only 120,000 people, and the vastness of London on its “Starboard Side”. Its slightly faster-paced, with plucking , short vocal runs, and building up to the accompanying piano that added another layer to the chord progression, making it an excellent track. The piano break to let the vocals do the work with a little strumming, creating something magical.
Next up, another guest was up on stage called Cat, with Duncan leading on the keys. Kylie started with her soft and emotional lyrical performance with some perfect runs matched by the keys before Cat takes on the male part of this duet, and wow, he's got an excellent voice! "Call You On Your Way Home" had amazing harmonies, and the combining of the vocals was incredible, leading all the way to Kylie singing the track out. That was a special moment.
Cat leaves the stage, waiting in the back, so he's coming back for another magical moment, I'm sure. It's time for the big duet with Kylie and Duncan. Kylie starts it off with long plucking and vocal runs galore, hitting high notes, and a little in, she's joined by the piano the whole time. The track is building, leading up to heavy strumming and hard-hitting piano. She's also joined by Duncan on the BV's, backing her solo, and they're amazing on the run "Someone Who Loves Me" before backing into the hard-hitting duet. Track “Our Song”
It's all change now, and Duncan is out front on the electric, and Cat is in the back on keys. Wow, the start of this song, 3-part harmonies incoming, just an amazing mix of guitar, electric, and the keys. Their harmonies are spot on, and the breaks of 3 parts where Kylie takes the lead vocal, you know it's building in the background with Duncan joining and electric solo adding to the power of this track. More perfection, 3-part harmonies. What an end to the last track. That was my gig of the year! Chants from the whole crowd, "One more song! One more song!" Ray of Talent Banq pops on stage to say some words and says how magical that was. It even brought a tear to his eye. I completely agree, magic was made in the Green Note tonight.
Encore, and just the 3-part harmonies, with only the sustain pedal ringing around to create a real feel. Their harmonies are again spot on. What a way to end an outstanding gig!
Kylie Price brought the excellent stories and laughable moments about them, a real charm. And musically, the whole thing was spot on, creating some magical moments. This is definitely going to be up there as my top gig of the year."
