Kelsy Karter and The Struts
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire // London, England // 26 February, 2019
Photos and review by Rachael Dowd
After a photo of her with a Harry Styles portrait tattooed on her face went viral, something that was nothing more than a PR stunt to promote her new song “Harry”, Kelsy Karter is causing a stir in the rock n’ roll scene with her distinct voice and spunky attitude. Opening up the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in West London last week, Karter captivated the crowd the moment she stepped onstage, proving as to why she has been getting so much buzz over the past year.
Playing a lengthy 10-song set list that included some unreleased tracks, she took her time throughout the night to get involved with the crowd. For “English Leather”, a tune her and her band wrote on the flight over to the UK from the states, she dedicated the song to a crowd member named Callum, throwing his name into the song and spending a couple of minutes serenading him. Her interaction with the crowd, something not often seen with opening acts, was refreshing and helped to create both a memorable set and get those in the audience awake and ready for The Struts.
Her latest single “Harry”, an ode to the One Direction singer, may be a declaration of love for the pop star, but also has a very old school rock n’ roll feel that the London crowd seemed to enjoy, swaying and dancing along throughout the entire performance.
Closing the night out with “Liquor Store on Mars”, Kelsy Karter’s performance surely earned her new fans in the crowd that night, her charismatic personality, unique style and original take on rock n’ roll making for one of the more refreshing opening sets some have seen in a long time.
As one of their largest headlining shows to date, The Struts were greeted to a jam-packed O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire last week. Living up to their reputation as one of the most captivating acts to watch live, The Struts performed a solid 14-song set list that covered both of their released albums, leaving every single soul in the venue singing and dancing along.
Opening up the night with “Primadonna Like Me”, vocalist Luke Spiller stormed the stage in one of his signature outfits clad in sequins and tassels. Bringing energy and soul to The Struts’ performance, Spiller is one of the most mesmerising frontmen in rock n’ roll to watch. Pacing around each and every inch of the stages he performs on, Spiller not only exudes enough energy to fill any venue they play, but manages to do so without missing a single note or a beat. Especially during their performances of “Body Talks” and “Kiss This”, it was almost dizzying to watch Spiller during some moments, his energy bouncing off the stage and his feet taking him wherever they pleased, making sure he was able to connect with as many members in the audience as possible.
One thing that truly separates The Struts from other bands in the genre right now is their sheer musicianship. Each individual member brings something different to the table – Jed Elliott (bass), Adam Slack (guitar) and Gethin Davies (drums) demonstrating so much craft and talent with their respected instruments that is very hard to ignore especially during their live shows. While each of the member’s talents may be distinct, their performance of “Fire (Part 1)” is a great example of how when those talents come together, it can create a powerhouse of a rock n’ roll tune that translates well on a recording and in any venue The Struts play in. With incredibly strong percussion and bass lines and an unforgettable rock n’ roll guitar solo at the bridge, Spiller’s fiery vocals help bring the whole song together.
Other fan-favorite tracks included in their set were “In Love With a Camera”, “Dirty Sexy Money” and “Mary Go Round”, a toned-down moment in the night that had the whole venue’s voices bouncing off the walls as they sang along with Spiller.
Closing with a 2-song encore of “Ashes (Part 2)” and “Could’ve Been Me”, the night ended on a high as Spiller took a step back from his microphone and allowed the nearly sold-out crowd to sing the infectious lyrics of the “Could’ve Been Me” chorus back to the band.
There is no doubt that The Struts are one of the best things to come out of rock n’ roll in a while. Incorporating old influences with their own take on the genre, The Struts’ live performance alone is worth praising, their glitzy costumes, charismatic personalities and undeniable musicianship helping to create a unique performance unlike anything else. As the band continues to tour throughout 2019 and beyond, it won’t be long until everyone knows their names and are flocking to their local venues to catch their performance and see for themselves who The Struts really are.
