Kirby Takes on Kilby
Article written by Zero Mars
On Sunday, February 25th, the Salt Lake City air was pleasant with a bite of winter chill, ushering eager concert-goers into the cozy enclosure of Kilby Court. The stage was blessed by an angelic trio of uniquely talented feminine vocalists, Cannibal Queen, Allegra Krieger, and Katy Kirby, working in tandem with their diverse sets to create an unforgettable show.
Local fans were thrilled to see Salt Lake City wonder Cannibal Queen set the scene for the evening, taking the Kilby Court stage for the second time this month. Cannibal Queen is the up-and-coming solo project of vocalist Aubrey Auclair, accompanied by an array of musicians from other local alternative projects. Together, they unite in the pursuit of a special, eclectic ambiance.
Cannibal Queen greeted the Court with a twinkly-yet-melancholy opening number, Kill Your Fate, immediately drawing the full attention of buzzing audience members. Auclair’s laments are often sweet but met with loud, grungy belts that perfectly illustrate the artist’s aesthetic- rigid and grotesque, with a plush vulnerability lingering close behind.
Overall, Cannibal Queen’s music toes the waters of harsh and mellow noise, stirring loud, rock-inspired drums with droney synths and acoustic strums. Any listener who devotes her music to the quiet contemplation it warrants will be graced with a delightfully emotional exploration of love and obligation. The set closed with a brilliant two-piece composition, Lonely, Cannibal Queen’s self-recorded debut single, followed by Hostage, their latest release.
Next on stage was Allegra Krieger, a New York-based indie rock artist accompanying Kirby on their tour. Krieger’s 30-minute acoustic set served as the perfect mid-way cleanser, granting listeners a segment of relaxation and contemplation before the headlining act. Her lyrics take on a meditative sway, encouraging listeners to “let go [of everything]... and let be [for serenity]”. Krieger also sung immense praise to fans of Katy Kirby attending the shows, gushing that she’s had “the best time playing for these audiences”. By the end of her closing number, a special love certainly hung in the air.
To finish off the night, Katy Kirby entered to a wide-eyed, eager crowd, fronted by a giddy mother and her teenage daughter. As the two clung tightly to each other beside center stage, Kirby lowered herself to her keyboard, softly plucking out the beginning notes to her performance. Audience members were quick to sing along to Redemption Arc, the soft, poetic opening to Katy Kirby’s newest album. Kirby appeared almost shocked by the crowd participation, half-laughing as she remarked, “my mom doesn’t even know the words to that one…she’s a great mom, but a terrible fan”. Her humorous quips continued throughout the evening, never failing to pull laughs or cheers between songs.
Guitarist Logan Chung was quick to realize that the stroke of midnight would mark one month since the release of Blue Raspberry, Katy Kirby’s sophomore album. Each audience member would surely agree that the angelic, inspiring compositions of the newly debuted tracks were the perfect way to celebrate such an occasion.
The cohesive, tight-knit nature of Kirby’s band was clear through the duration of their performance. Each facial expression and gesture illustrated how deeply enthralled they were in the live untangling of each musical disposition, and reveling in every second of it. The chemistry between jazzy bass and high-hat-focused drum lines possessed a trance-like effect on the crowd, prompting Kirby to eventually inquire, “..You know you guys can talk, right”? Sometimes these asides were a bit more humorous, though, like when drummer Austin Arnold halted the show to point out a bug that had landed on his snare.
During the second verse of her most popular track, Cool Dry Place, Katy Kirby pulled opener Cannibal Queen on stage to take over the mic. The local artist took a louder, more accentuated approach to the otherwise reverent song, allowing for the rawer emotions of the piece to peek through with a greater ferocity.
Kirby closed her set with a cover of the popular Mountain Goats track, No Children, an exciting nod to her upcoming tour opening for the obscure folk band this spring. As with all her covers, Kirby takes great care to create her own twinkly concoction, exceptionally separate from the original piece. Needless to say, with her recent signing to ANTI Records, as well as her uniquely exceptional recorded and live talent, opportunities are looking bright for Katy Kirby and her incredibly talented band. One can’t help but feel lucky to witness such a talent in a small, intimate space as the Kilby Court.
