Live Review: Something For Kate - Astor Theatre

Victorian rockers Something for Kate commenced their 20th anniversary tour with a blaze of commemoration and nostalgia. The gig at the Astor was packed with supporters both young and old, signifying how the band's following has gradually grown over two decades of albums and EPs.

The gig itself began with the showing of a short film detailing the band's journey and evolution over its two decades of existence, a visual sign of gratitude to the fans. The night was separated into two sets, each a unique blend of previous hits and songs from their discography, giving the band a chance to showcase their stylistic pastiche that ranged from grungy anthems to ballads that pulled on the heartstrings.

The band kicked off their first set with Subject To Change, an electrifying track that demonstrated their early post-grunge style. With a rapid dose of fuzz and distortion, the crowd were eased back into the band's early years, with Dempsey's rasping vocals quick to hold up the song's feelings of anger. Following up, Roll Credit took the gig down a gentler alt-rock route, allowing members of the crowd to gently nod their heads to the sound of slowly swaying guitar chords and a pulsating bass riff. Feelings of tragedy were brought into the venue through the song Beautiful Sharks, which again carried the crowd audibly through the cohesive and seamless instrumentation and well crafted lyrics from songwriter Dempsey. Between songs, the odd few crowd members would exclaim their beer-fuelled admiration for Dempsey, exclaiming boisterous compliments to the lead singer. Dempsey merely downplayed these signs of affection and continued playing. The first set was finished with The Kids Will Get The Money, with an animated hospital heart monitor graphic behind the band, complementing the jarring lyrics and vocals.

The second set was kicked off with a piano version of Back To You, which again allowed to the gig to take a different stylistic route by creating a more intimate atmosphere. This was then carried over with the acoustic nature of Deep Sea Divers, which, with the accompanying vocals of bassist Stephanie Ashworth, presented some satisfying vocal harmonies. The final tracks included an acoustic rendition of Truly by Hazel and Captain (Million Miles An Hour). The band signified the end of their gig with a giant graphic of the words “Thank you”, bringing to some fans a mixture of nostalgia and admiration for a band that has prevailed for so long.