stuartbert two hats Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 When almost on a whim, a couple of us decided to pop over to W Holts between Kris Kristofferson, I knew a few things about Kate Tempest. I knew she did spoken word performances backed to music. I knew that I quite liked some of the 5 minute video pieces I'd seen, but was worried that it would go on a bit and I might get a bit bored. How wrong I was. From the opening lines, I knew that this would be far more more politically incisive than a re-purposed football chant: Quote Strong and stable into ruin.school kids on the hunt for lunchcut the apron stringsat least it keeps the bastards leanand gets the scroungers off the crouch. She told heart-breaking stories of people struggling in a society pitted against itself, culminating in a glorious "I. LOVE. PEOPLE.". The 'big moments' in this set were not met by hands in the air or whooping, they were met with looks of intense contemplation on the faces of the crowd. A very unusual juxtaposition, like a solar eclipse in its strangeness. I witnessed a lot of great performances at this year's festival, not least the xx and Radiohead directly afterwards, but nothing quite like Kate Tempest. Whilst she hasn't invented the idea of spoken word over a musical backing - slotting somewhere between straight poetry and rap - I have never witnessed anything that succeeded quite on this scale. A truly unique talent, with such intensity and so many words! Expect copycats at Glastonbury 2019 The raving egotist that I am, I'll end by quoting my own first post about the 2017 festival: Quote Kate Tempest. I knew she would be good, but that was an electrifying, emotionally intense performance. Nearly moved to tears several times, I left feeling like I'd been whalloped across the face Extraordinary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 I damn fucked it up not going to this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quark Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 (edited) Seconded Mr 2Hats Edited June 30, 2017 by Quark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkic Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Yep should have gone to this but plumped for Royal Blood and a good spot for The XX and The Radiolads. Friend of ours went and said it was the best set she had ever seen at Glasto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 She is incredible! That performance really was something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 My biggest miss at Glasters in a decade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLittleFish Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 She was brilliant. Like, italics brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdiz Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Was a really special performance, I think I spent the majority of the set mouth open wondering how does she remember all the words and when does she take a breath. Felt like she hardly paused for a moment during the hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.M.V Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Just powerful. Even friends who weren't there have been raving about it seeing it on tv footage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaledonianGonzo Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 You swine. I have a draft of a thread like this ready to go but went for lunch first before properly writing it. But yeah. She kicked the gig in the dick. Folk were staggering about afterwards like they'd been in a blitzkrieg. Shock and awe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatyeti24 Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 She was fucking seething from the moment she came on stage. I could barely believe what I was seeing. She's very special indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian the worm Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Second time at Glastonbury for me. Amazing content and delivery. Xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
priest17 Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Phenomenal, she knocks it out of the park every time I see her. The purely spoken word set she did in run shack still rings in my ears, it was like that old Maxwell advert, non-stop incredible. The speech at the start this time was a great addition as well. Her albums are really worth checking out as well, first albums a great story and the second albums many great stories coming together beautifully, I think she's top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjsell Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 (edited) yeah Let 16 minutes ago, priest17 said: Her albums are really worth checking out as well, first albums a great story and the second albums many great stories coming together beautifully, I think she's top. Yeah Let Them Eat Chaos is an extraordinary album, and is what the format that her glasto set this year was based on. The stories of strangers. Edited June 30, 2017 by mjsell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiminy Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Spot on. Highlight of the festival for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjamest Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Gutted i missed her. Don't know if she still plays Circles, but i have had that as an earworm for the last 30 minutes, I go round in circlesNot graceful, not like dancersNot neatly, not like compass and pencilMore like a dog on a lead, going mental Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winslow Leach Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 It really was something special wasn't it? Brand New Ancients and Tunnel Vision were both pretty stunning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPink Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Big fan of both albums and saw her at the park in 15 (Saw Halsey this year as I hadn't seen her before). She was amazing two years ago and looked amazing on the coverage when I watched it back. I describe her musis as the most accurate social commentaary out there. Read her book, it's really good. Impressively, she went 41 minutes without acknowledging the crowd between songs. Just went from one straight into the other. I didn't see her taking a drink on the footage. Impressive stamina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdiz Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 6 minutes ago, MrPink said: Big fan of both albums and saw her at the park in 15 (Saw Halsey this year as I hadn't seen her before). She was amazing two years ago and looked amazing on the coverage when I watched it back. I describe her musis as the most accurate social commentaary out there. Read her book, it's really good. Impressively, she went 41 minutes without acknowledging the crowd between songs. Just went from one straight into the other. I didn't see her taking a drink on the footage. Impressive stamina. Read her book earlier this year was a really great read, she is definitely one of the most underrated social commentators of our time! Going to go home and listen to Let Them Eat Chaos turned up to 11 this evening!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaels denim shorts Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 She queued behind me for a coffee in a cafe in west holts on I think Saturday morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Man Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Truly a genius, seen her before & she was utterly brilliant but never seen the intensity of Fridays gig. The way it transferred to a bigger stage without losing any of the power was a joy. Not many dry eyes around us. The world needs more Kate Tempest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Sickened by this thread yiz arseholes. Delighted she nailed it though. A fantastic talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaledonianGonzo Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Just couldn't drag yourself away from Lekkido, Lord of the Lobsters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renrutbor Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 She was unbelievably good. Have seen her a couple of times before with Sound Of Rum and a spoken word set but it came across perfectly on the big stage with the band behind her. So passionate and raw. It was a bizarre feeling in the crowd after the show, not a dry eye in the field and everyone lost deep in thought. Think I've watched the set back twice and listened to the record 3 times since getting back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Andy Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Such intense passion, she was great. No frills, just passion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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