K.Flay
“Every Where Is Some Where”
February 2, 2018
Concord Music Hall
2047 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
https://concordmusichall.com/
On February 2nd, two-time Grammy nominee and Wilmette native K.Flay returned to her old stomping grounds to play a sold out show at Chicago’s Concord Music Hall while headlining a tour to promote her newest album “Every Where Is Some Where”.
K.Flay @ the Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
K.Flay is a stage presence that challenges the expectations of female musicians everywhere. On stage she oozes waves of confidence and professionalism, but one-on-one or in small groups, she’s a quirky thirty-something who has a real preference for bad puns. The one she managed to sneak into her VIP pre-concert acoustic show, for example: “this guy, the guy who designed my Life as a Dog (2014) album cover, his name is Juan, actually, his son just turned one.” which provoked collective groans from the audience; as all successful puns should.
K.Flay @ the Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
K.Flay manages to combine indie-rock with underlying rap tones to develop a new-wave sound that’s new and different, yet still totally fluid. Her sound is a refreshing step back from the mainstream pop, rap, and pop-punk that seems to be dominating the music scene as of recently. Her newest album “Every Where Is Some Where” relies more heavily on instrumentals and offers a wider vocal range than past albums, such as her original self-titled EP from 2010; K.Flay, or her 2013 album “What if it Is”, both of which were centered around angry rap and a synthesizer. Most of the time when an artist chooses to change their sound so dramatically it reads as clumsy and awkward on stage, and usually comes through as dissatisfying for long-standing fans. Though somehow K.Flay manages to make her transition from rap to indie-rock entirely seamless, and unlike many artists following a style change, she even decided to maintain her synth set-up along side her Fender and played dozens of old tracks and singles along with her entire “Every Where Is Some Where” album.
K.Flay @ the Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
K.Flay has an extremely broad fan base, which made for an extremely interesting crowd. Fans ranged in age from adults in their early fifties to children as young as eight. This show did a particularly impressive job of merging people from all walks of life, from professionals with nine to five jobs, angst-filled young adults (undeniably like myself), the downright stereotypical stoners, and everyone in between. Her music tends to mix the sound and feel of early rock with deep, meaningful, and angry lyrics that speak to the struggle of mental health, loss, alcoholism, and growing up in a messy environment. Because of this, she tends to stand as a beacon of hope for kids and adults alike who grew up a little atypically.
K.Flay @ the Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
That being said, this show is probably one of the best and most intense I’ve experienced in the fifteen or so years that I’ve been going to concerts. Everyone in that venue seemed to give off the exact same energy, and, standing in the photo pit and watching the crowd, I could swear the entire place was moving in tandem. It was surreal to feel the floor shake beneath me due to the excitement that consumed, well, everybody in the vicinity. There was no awkward feeling, no “am I standing too close to you?” and no fighting to keep my spot as I bounced from taking photographs back to the person I was with. K.Flay seemed to take a room of people and build a community for the night.
K.Flay @ the Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
Maybe it’s because she’s an Illinois native, or Maybe it was because of her more obscure fan base, I can’t say for sure, but what I am sure of is that she is the one and only musician I have ever seen transform an entire room into a giant family the second her Doc Martens hit the stage. With a passion I’ve very rarely witnessed on stage, and a few moments of intense emotion at headlining her own show in her hometown for the first time since breaking into the mainstream music scene, K.Flay dominated the Concord Music Hall for three energetic, chaotic, and emotionally charged hours.
K.Flay @ the Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
K.Flay is a force that’s just beginning her come-up and between her lyrics and her fighting tooth-and-nail for social justice, she’s going to leave an undeniable mark on society. She’s found the perfect balance between her strong-willed, bad-ass stage persona and her genuine and quirky self, both of which she uses to push a discussion about humanity and the rights of others. In fact, right now you can purchase an “Immigrants Welcome” t-shirt that challenges the views of the POTUS, or her Crush Me book, 100% of the proceeds from which go to charities to support the homeless, runaway children, and special advocates for abused and neglected children. Both of which are available now on her website, linked below.
K.Flay @ the Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
For additional information on K.Flay and “Every Where Is Some Where”, check out:
K.Flay – http://www.kflay.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kflaymusic/
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/user/kflay
Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/kflay
Twitter – https://twitter.com/kflay?lang=en
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kflay/?hl=en
Concert review and photographs by Rachel Rivette, Music Editor
