St. Vincent at the Globe Vienna: A Great Artist Without Fear of Contact

Do you want a bit of theatrics? Do you want a good show? Then St. Vincent is exactly right for you: The American musician was finally back in Austria on Tuesday evening after many years of absence and fully lived up to the advance praise. As an exalted pop goddess who enjoys getting up close and personal with the audience, she created special moments at the Globe Vienna and impressively reinforced her exceptional status in the modern music circus.

St. Vincent: 20 Years on the Fast Track of Pop

Annie Clark, as the musician is actually called, has been in demand on all channels for quite some time: She has been on the road with her project for a good 20 years, with the first studio album "Marry Me" dating back to 2007. Since then, St. Vincent has not only played through the various stages of pop-cultural attention - including some relationships with stars from fashion and cinema - but has above all constantly reinvented herself. Whether it's exalted rock, minimalist electronic sound, or big band sounds with greats like David Byrne, Clark has never known any fear of contact.

Currently, St. Vincent is on tour with album number seven, last year's "All Born Screaming." And it is by no means a bad time to admire her live. Not only is the singer and guitarist, who portrayed herself between a lascivious diva and a winking rogue, accompanied by an excellent four-piece band (particularly noteworthy is keyboardist Rachel Eckroth, who also delivered the wonderful vocal harmonies), but in general, she seems to be at the peak of her creative powers.

St. Vincent at the Globe Vienna: A Few Obstacles Had to Be Overcome

The opener "Reckless," which also starts the latest album, impressively played with a quiet-loud dynamic before "Fear The Future" and "Los Ageless" invited everyone to the indie disco. Her surprise at why the audience in the seated Globe had not yet stood up fortunately did not last long - although the venue, despite the performative aspect of this concert, seemed like a bit of a misstep. This show demanded movement, energy, and ecstasy, not strict rows of seats that the hardcore fans had to laboriously overcome.

Vienna as the "City of Dreams"

But Annie Clark quickly remedies such situations: From the beginning, the musician sought contact with the people, grabbing a cap here and glasses there, while heads and necks were caressed. In Vienna, after all, there is not only excellent coffee, as Clark explained with a wink to the amusement of the crowd. This is a city of dreams and she and her band are "damn pirates." So when, if not now, should we set sail to explore new shores?

Clapping along, "as Mozart invented it"

How precise her songwriting has become was demonstrated by the late-set "Hell is Near," which featured an irresistible melody while the delicate groove drilled into the brain. But also the pulsating "Flea" or "Cheerleader," oscillating between reduction and outburst, managed to convince across the board. To the melancholic "New York," there was eager clapping along, "just as Mozart invented it," the singer chuckled. Only St. Vincent would think of that, as she descended from the stage and wandered into the last rows of the Globe, very close to the people.

After an hour and a half, it was over, with "Candy Darling" marking the intimate closer for a performance that met all expectations and more. And yet questions remained: Why wasn't every single seat filled? Why isn't this great musician, equipped with so much wit, charm, and quality, among the commercially biggest pop stars on the planet? And when can we experience the multiple Grammy winner here again, not after another ten-year hiatus? The answers don't matter, because for now, we can revel in memories of a show that is unparalleled.

(APA/Red)

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