If you are over the age of 40 you have seen this before. You have heard it before but like an odd flashback you cant recall where or when. Kristeen has not seen forty years, but don't let that kid you, she knows exactly what she is doing and its working. Scoring a never ending bridesmaid gig with Morrissey she sets up her keyboard and bottled water does her 20 min act and hits the road. Any longer the dogs would arrive any shorter you'd fell ripped off.
This all being said let me fill you in. Kristeen is drawing from the ghosts of Siouxie Sioux and Kate Bush and using four octaves of vocals to make you think its all brand new. Taking that semi-gothic 80s feel and trying really hard to make it 2012. That's impossible to do. This is art music for art people, but not original works. Pure 80s Lena/Nina with a dash of Amanda. She is not original in the slightest. From her dance to her pre recorded music (hey i thought she toured with someone named 'Baby') been there done that.
She was good. She was very good. Within a very short time I found I liked her, until it just got old. Get the hook and as for those octaves, some are best left for pig calling. I adored her lighting, loved her backdrop film and even her banter with the audience was cute and cheeky, recalling a show at Waterbury's Brass City Records where she scored a Missing Persons poster 'which I still have". Of course she does, she is the keepers of the 80s. You would almost expect a monkey to be sitting on her shoulder- ala Mike Meyers Deeter Shprockets skit. She appears to be an obscure German dungeon cabaret performer but shes just a chick from Missouri. Someone in the crowd asks where she from, when she responds St Louis, the crowd spurts applause, 'why would you cheer for Missouri' she quipped. Good question- bigger question is what exactly allows her to have this opening gig with one of the indie legends of all time.
I unfortunately cannot find her set list and I wasn't able to really piece one together. Her quirky sound made it difficult to find searchable lines. I will say I enjoyed the first two songs very much, the third not so much and after that would have preferred white noise or more videos. I'm sure there is a great deal of love for her and she does carry the burden of opening for a King but really, nothing new and nothing improved.
I don't grade as a rule but in this case I will. A B- seems about right. Mediocre but there has to be an inside joke for this one.