The Kite String Tangle @ Jack Rabbit Slims
w/ Golden Vessel, Austen
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Taking on his final show of the tour following the recent release of his self-titled album, Danny Harley – better known by his stage name The Kite String Tangle – hypnotised his audience on Sunday night with a blissful yet danceable set at Jack Rabbit Slims.
Austen and Golden Vessel were perfect choices for support acts. Impeccable vocals and production for both parties warmed the audience up for an exciting night. Any fans who missed Austen’s performance early on in the night were fortunate to see her reappear to sing with Harley in features during his set.
Opening with a lengthy instrumental to showcase the talent of each member of his touring band, The Kite String Tangle got fans geared up for a night of ever-changing emotions. Early on in the night TKST brought out a remix of Lastlings’ hit Urges, putting an EDM spin on the golden vocals of the brother-sister duo. This Thing We Got had the crowd on their feet, bringing out the horns to perform the groovy, dance style tune which has just been released as their latest single.
We were then struck by a mood change with an engulfing performance of Know By Now. Audience members embraced their mates, all seeming to truly relate to the song while directing their chants at Harley. Major props go to the production team behind TKST’s visuals. They varied from a captivating scene of travelling stars through space for Know By Now, to rippling heartbeat monitor-like effects during Stone Cold.
Being surrounded by two sides of electronic beat pads and keys meant at times it felt like there was a barrier set up between Harley and his audience. The dark lighting often made him merely a silhouette, making it difficult to see him at work. Fickle Gods saw Harley take a break from the production side and step out of the darkness for a quick song and dance. This interaction was loved by the crowd as hands reached up on stage trying to make contact with the musician.
Personally I’m not a fan of the encore as much as I used to be. When an act walks off stage you know nine times out of 10 they’ll come back for another two songs. The encore is no longer a surprise, just simply expected. Nevertheless, they came back out for a final two songs, and did themselves justice.
A cover of Fatboy Slim’s Praise You was a hit with the crowd, beginning with a somewhat haunting instrumental introduction, yet again incorporating the use of the brass instruments to enhance production. To no surprise, wrapping up the night with his most popular track Arcadia was a smart move by the artist, which saw the crowd come together to sing along with Harley’s delicate and blissful vocals abilities.
All in all, I can’t give enough praise to the horn players, Brodie McAllister on trombone and George Wilson on trumpet. I’m a sucker for a solid brass section and these guys provided. Harley and the band put on a golden performance on Sunday night, successfully flicking between solemnly tones and EDM hooks. The final show of the tour was a success and The Kite String Tangle did his fans proud.
CHARLOTTE SAXON
