Review: St. Vincent’s Tour Proves Her Rock Queen Status

Arianna Kharizz

St. Vincent has taken on some ambitious tours over the last decade. Her 2017 “Masseduction” tour celebrated synth-pop with pop-art video projections, masked band members, and vibrant latex costumes, emphasizing a dominatrix aesthetic. Fast forward, and her 2021 “Daddy’s Home” tour fused artifice with warmth, incorporating retro elements and a blonde-haired soul revue with psychedelic hints.

In 2024, St. Vincent’s current m.o. is to deliver a rock show.

However, with St. Vincent, nothing is ever straightforward. Her concerts continue to stimulate both intellectual and primal reactions. The “All Born Screaming Tour” is noteworthy for its minimalist approach. Absent are the video screens, backup singers, and elaborate sketches. Instead, there’s a lot of electric guitar, offering a distilled essence of St. Vincent that hasn’t been seen in years. Though her previous tours had their intense conceptual allure, her raw talent in a stripped-back setting remains just as riveting.

For a closer interaction, fans caught her at a rare club show at the Knitting Factory in Boise, Idaho, just before her larger gig at the Greek Theatre in L.A. The Knitting Factory, accommodating 1,000 people, provided an intimate venue where St. Vincent engaged directly with the audience. During “Broken Man,” for example, she humorously confronted the crowd with “Hey, what are you looking at?”

This tour diverges significantly from the “Daddy’s Home” outing, characterized by its sunny, playful 1970s cosplay and R&B undertones. Despite the melancholic themes of her new material, the show impressively humanizes Annie Clark (St. Vincent’s real name). Her current rock ‘n’ roll project leads her down darker paths, bringing to mind Leonard Cohen’s late-period work. The title “All Born Screaming” aptly reflects this intense exploration of death, mortality, and grief.

Clark mentioned that she and her band visited a Boise escape room on their day off. She was especially amused by her bassist Charlotte Kemp Muhl’s goth look frightening some locals. However, escapism is far from the theme of “All Born Screaming,” which deeply contemplates death and grief.

Clark kicked off her set with “Reckless,” the slowest and most somber tune from her new album. The title morphed into “breathless,” perhaps indicating a state of death. The song began with mournful electronic piano parts but later erupted into powerful chords, signaling an end to the solemn prologue. Following this, “Fear the Future” set the tone for an 80-minute, life-affirming show.

St. Vincent’s demeanor managed to inject warmth and enthusiasm despite the somber themes. Older songs like “New York” paired with new tracks like “Sweetest Fruit” and “Hell Is Near,” all explored loss but were performed with visceral excitement. Clark’s friendly interactions and enthusiastic stage presence turned what could be a heavy evening into a dynamic, spirited performance.

Jason Falkner continues to share the stage with her, bringing his co-lead guitar skills. Their chemistry is a visual and sonic treat, from playing intricate twin leads to messing around on stage, adding to the concert’s lively atmosphere. Drummer Mark Guiliana also shined, wrapping up “Cheerleader” with a thunderous solo, debunking any notion that St. Vincent’s shows are too sophisticated for rock traditions.

Despite St. Vincent’s dramatic stage presence, she remains surprisingly friendly with her audience. She shared trivia about Idaho, humor, and personal anecdotes. “According to Wikipedia, Lewis and Clark came over the mountains from Utah and went, ‘Le bois!’ — which mutated into ‘Boise.’ I’m very happy about that,” she said. She also humorously noted that browser restrictions in Idaho complicate accessing sites like PornHub.

Though “All Born Screaming” is a sobering album, St. Vincent ensures her concerts are far from funeral-like. Toward the set’s end, she performed “Somebody Like Me,” a tender ballad of vulnerability from “Daddy’s Home,” live for the first time. This beautiful, plaintive tune deserves a permanent spot in her setlist.