REVIEW: SARAH KINSLEY @ ROYALE 10/13
Photo Credit: Julia Khoroshilov
Review by Isabelle Ireland
On Sunday, October 13, Sarah Kinsley made her way to The Royale in Boston and did not disappoint. After interviewing Kinsley, I was unsure what to expect from her show. I assumed she would be playing more of her relaxed, slower tunes, but I was incredibly mistaken. I have seen big names like One Direction and Ariana Grande, but Kinsley’s show was probably one of the best concerts I have been to in my lifetime.
Ha Vay opened for Kinsley with a soft voice playing her debut album, “Baby I’m the Wolf.” Although she is very new to the music scene and her voice has some growing to do, she has a gorgeous whisper tone, and her guitarist only enhanced her soft voice in their duet. Her set included “Fragile,” “Thread of Gold,” “The Huntress,” “Feral Nights,” and “Moongirl.” While the most anticipated song was Moongirl, I was most intrigued by “Feral Nights” because we finally got to hear her belt. I hope to hear more of that from her in the future.
Sarah Kinsley came on the red-lit stage slowly, allowing the crowd to roar for her. Her band played an ethereal sound for her to run on stage too, and they went right into playing “Lovegod.”
“[This is] without a doubt the biggest headline show I’ve played. Welcome to Escaper Tour,” said Sarah Kinsley. She then went on to play “Realms.” It is the kind of song you want to close your eyes and spin in circles or stick your head out of the sunroof of a car. It is genuinely one of the most unique and beautiful songs I have ever heard. The crowd was crazy for the duration of the whole song.
After the first two songs, it was clear she had an amazing stage presence and was a beautiful dancer. She then played “Last Time We Never Meet Again,” and she let the crowd shout into her mic during the line “We’ll never speak again.”
“Thank you so much! It’s so good to be here in Boston. Our first time [playing in Boston, there were] less than 200 people crammed in the room. It is unbelievable to be here now. This is one of the most beautiful venues we’ve played in.” Said Kinsley before going into “Karma” and “Glint.”
During “Karma,” she played guitar and jammed with her bandmate. It was a female-dominated band, which was refreshing.
The flow of her setlist was perfect. She was able to engage the crowd the whole show and make sure she and her audience were not getting too tired from singing and dancing. She used really cool and ethereal-sounding instruments for “Glint.” There was roughly a minute of synth to lead into the song, and the chemistry between the pianist and Kinsley felt out of a movie. This song was like hearing the way sparkles look.
For her sixth song, she played “My Name is Dancing,” and it was clear how hard she feels her music. She puts every ounce of energy into each move and lyrics; it is magical.
She next sat down at the piano and thanked Ha Vay for opening. “Did anyone come with a friend or with a best friend? This song is about wanting to marry your best friends, go somewhere in the countryside, and live this idyllic life together.” Said Kinsley before playing “Starling,” a song she had previously told me she loved during the interview. “That has been a really sweet song to sing on this tour. I get honestly distracted watching you all embrace each other. You guys are so cute,” said Kinsley.
“We play this next song for special crowds, it’s more vulnerable,” said Kinsley before playing “Barrel of Love.” During this song, she hit every single note flawlessly, and her belts were unexpected but well done.
“The Giver” and “Prophecy” were next on her setlist. Her energy and movements during these two made the concert feel intimate, as she got everyone dancing.
“Thank you so much. When I wrote [“Cypress”], there was a lot of questioning and doubt about the future, wondering how much control you have over life, but in [spirit] of that, we will put fate into your hands.” Kinsley said before she listed off popular songs and had the crowd cheer for what they wanted to hear. “We have the three options, but we normally do two. This is the first time you get three options.” The verdict was that she would play “Lucky Drive,” a song from an old EP that she had never played live.
As soon as Kinsley took out a contact mic, I could tell “Sublime” was up next. Being my favorite song on the album, I was shocked because hearing it live left me speechless. I wish I could listen to that version over and over again.
A fan gave her a shirt; she covered “Dreams” by The Cranberries beautifully and went right into her next song, “Black Horse.” She sang while encouraging the crowd to jump and shout the lyrics. The overall vibe of the song felt nostalgic, like the kind of song you dance with your friends to in your bedroom at a sleepover.
Before playing “Knights,” she introduced and thanked her very talented band.
“I have so much love for you, and playing this music with you is such a dream. It feels surreal and means the world to me that you are here,” said Kinsley before playing her title track, “Escaper.” It started very jazzy, and she had an incredibly powerful voice, unlike anyone I have ever heard live. Then, as soon as the song ended, she ran off stage, and her band followed.
She knew the crowd would not let her leave without saying goodbye, so they cheered her back onto the stage, where she played the highly anticipated song, “The King.”
“Thank you so much, I am really [explicit] proud of this album.”
She finished her encore with, “Oh No Darling!”
Sarah Kinsley left me speechless in the end. It was an incredible performance. If I could experience that show again, I would in an instant. Her voice is stunning, and her stage presence is energizing. It is like watching art being created in front of your eyes. She is such an amazing performer and an even kinder human. I cannot wait to watch her grow as an artist.
Unfortunately, her US leg of the tour ended on October 16 in New York, but if you are in the EU/UK this November, definitely try to catch one of her shows. You do not want to miss it.