St. Vincent puts on a great show. I could watch her play guitar forever and she can sing better lying down on the ground then most singers can sing when they are completely sober. One just needs to compare the songs from her latest self titled record to her debut record to realize that St. Vincent is an artist who is going to constantly reinvent herself and that makes her one of the most exciting musicians to be a fan of.
Yet, I came away from Wednesday’s show a bit flustered. For all the greatness of St. Vincent’s concert experience, it seemed all a little distant. I can’t quite place my finger on it, but there’s a certain feeling of detachment when I watch an extremely well executed show. I feel like tracks such as Digital Witness and Birth in Reverse could be absolutely crazy anthems yet they seem to be restrained during the show. I very much enjoyed all the choreographed movements but also, can’t help but feel that the precision at which each step is executed is just a little too perfect. I guess this is what happens when you become exceptionally good at what you do. Sometimes you just want something off script, something unexpected, but perhaps when you are at the tail end of a year long tour, that’s just not going to happen.
Having said all that, I would see St. Vincent again in a heartbeat. When your complaint of the show is that it’s too good, you know there’s something special going on.