BPD subscriber Blitzkrieg Betty sent us this:
Touring behind her new album Tiger Suit - and with a large tiger face on a black backdrop, 35-year-old KT Tunstall worked through a 90-minute, 19-song set with energy, precision and a bit of humor.
"How you tonight?" she asked before her and her four-piece supporting cast kicked off with the tight rock pop of Glamour Puss, bringing to mind a bit of Sheryl Crow with a healthy dose of Melissa Etheridge.
In fact, one could see a lot of Etheridge circa Yes I Am in KT's performances, whether it was on the lighter, whistle-whetting (Still A) Weirdo or on the slow building False Alarm which earned a strong response after being deservedly fleshed out in the end.
Later on, Tunstall seemed a tad nervous in explaining the inspiration for Madame Trudeaux. Although not the same surname, the singer explained how friends told her of Margaret Trudeau's encounter with the Rolling Stones in Toronto in the '70s while her husband was Prime Minister. Describing Pierre Trudeau's wife as a "firecracker," Tunstall tore into the beefy, ballsy number perfectly.
Mick and Keith would have been proud.
Elsewhere, Tunstall stripped things down a little bit for the up-tempo vibe of Hold On but definitely hit gold when she nailed the simple but infectious Black Horse And The Cherry Tree from 2004's Eye To The Telescope album. Before the show, I asked her if that was one of her favorite tunes. She didn't give me a direct answer, but replied that it was "popular at jazzercise classes and number one on the line dancing charts". I wasn't sure what she was trying to say but I thought it best to keep my mouth shut.
Not shy to deliver Tiger Suit, the singer performed every number off the record. But it wasn't always great. The Entertainer didn't fare nearly as well as the guitar-driven Difficulty and Golden Frames, the latter a murky, moody number in the vein of Chris Isaak's Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing.
After thanking the crowd for buying the tickets to the show at a time when money is tight for many, Tunstall closed out the main set with Fade Like A Shadow, a rather safe, radio-friendly pop number that paled compared to the rockabilly boogie flavor Come On, Get In possessed earlier in the night.
A quick three-song encore was highlighted not only by the finale Suddenly I See but a better than average reworked roots-y cover of A Little Respect by '80s British dance-pop act Erasure.
Thank you BPD for giving me this chance to be backstage with one of my favorite female artists.
Blitzkrieg Betty, thank you for your report.
We're glad you enjoyed KT's show.
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