Despite delays and Murphy’s law, none of it mattered once St. Vincent made her way to the stage. Lit up by a single spotlight sliced through the dark, bathing her in a halo, the singer opened the show with the haunting vocals of “Reckless” from her self-produced album All Born Screaming. The energy in the room exploded as the drums and electric guitars ripped to life, with St. Vincent throwing her body into the beat. With a raw, ethereal scream, the rock queen commanded the stage with a presence that could not be ignored.
From there, the night escalated. No one could deny that St. Vincent, known offstage as Anne Clark, knew exactly how to draw her audience into her electrifying orbit. Fans screamed at the opening bassline of “Los Ageless” as she and guitarist Jason Falkner were locked in a tight, almost telepathic rhythm. Numbers like “Big Time Nothing” and “Pay Your Way in Pain” saw Miss Clark showing off her relentless force on the guitar, twisting and contorting her body as she shredded through jagged riffs and lost herself in intricate solos.
Beyond her musical prowess, there is also a playful naughtiness to St. Vincent’s persona as a live performer. From her ballerina-esque tiptoeing back and forth across the stage to her teasing winks at awestruck fans, the singer struck a sharp balance between intensity and delicious mischief. Most of the night saw St. Vincent strumming sensual guitar duets with her band members, each interaction feeling more like an intimate dance than a simple exchange of chords. With the seductive, slinky groove of “Dilettante” playing in the background, Miss Clark climbed offstage to stand on top of the speakers below, gracefully stretching out her hand to meet the clamor of her audience. Songs such as “Flea” and “Broken Man” were perfect opportunities for the singer to show off her more sultry side as she drawled out the lyrics with a smokey, almost languid delivery.
There were moments that broke through St. Vincent’s seductive façade. Attempting to crowd surf during the chorus of “New York,” Miss Clark found herself hoisted up in the air by two large crewmen as she tried to enter the crowd. She let out a surprised “Oh!” as audience members tried to hold her up and pass her through the crowd, only to quickly return her back to the crewmen. A second crowd surf attempt was made, but ultimately the audience cheered as the singer made her way back to the stage.
Although the set ended on “All Born Screaming,” fans chanted “Annie, Annie, Annie!” as they begged for an encore. St. Vincent quickly returned to the stage, along with her organist, to perform the final song of the night. A quiet, lullaby-like melody, “Somebody Like Me” was the perfect number to end the night after an hour and a half of high octane, rock-heavy numbers. The song’s tender melody lulled the audience into a pensive quietness as they listened to St. Vincent’s gentle vocals. “Time tells us things that you and I can’t see,” she whispered as the red stagelights dimmed for the final time. It was the perfect conclusion, leaving concert goers in a state of reflection as the night drew to a close.
