Even from the time the gig was announced, it was a surprise to find St Vincent playing Bristol in the year of our lord 2024. The next night she was playing the Royal Albert Hall; what on earth was she doing in SWX on a Friday night? In any case, I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
The joy of an artist having a pretty well set in stone setlist on tour is that I was able to blitz the songs on the new album I knew were actually going to come up a few times before the gig, ensuring a more than passing familiarity with the bulk of the set.
Beyond the inevitable (and good!) new stuff, Clark managed to put together a really compelling and comprehensive setlist. Digital Witness threw me right back to second year of uni, and the stomp and swagger of Los Ageless was dialled up massively beyond its already heightened studio version.
Clark herself is even more compelling - despite her often frosty public persona, she was a very warm presence on stage between songs, in contrast to the peformative precision of the guitar playing and, at times, choreography. She effused about Bristol bands, she talked with emotion about being grateful to be performing live again, she threw herself into the crowd.
Heartworms were good, a suitable support, if nothing particularly descript. Serviceable!