A Night of Art, Energy, and Elegance St. Vincent Mesmerises Somerset House
- Dave Broome
- Jul 20
- 3 min read
Somerset House, London - 16th July 2025
WORDS Dave Broome
This is my second time at Somerset House for a concert in less than a week. The Somerset House, Summer Series is in full swing and I’m back tonight for St Vincent. The stage and all the festival setting remain in situ throughout the summer months, so I am in familiar territory. The courtyard and the surrounding buildings look equally as beautiful tonight, and the venue is fast becoming a favourite of mine.
Anne Erin Clark, better known to her fans as St. Vincent sold out this show some time ago such is the interest and excitement around her live shows. The six-time Grammy award-winner is well known for delivering energetic, theatrical performances. To add to the anticipation, this is her only London show this summer. However, she’s not here on her own. The support for this evening is the much-hyped New York Art punk band, Gustaf.
I have seen numerous glowing reviews of Gustaf’s live shows recently so have higher than normal expectations for the opening act. And they don’t disappoint. The singer, Lydia Gammill is a force of nature, commanding your attention. She struts around the stage, sometimes singing, others shouting and at times banging her head with her fist.
They have a familiar tune, it’s a cover called Trusted You which was used for an Apple ad. They thunder through a brief but exhilarating set, full of punk hard-edged pop tunes and set up the scene for the headline act perfectly.
Just after 9pm, on to the stage slowly but purposefully creeps writer, director, producer, actress and guitar virtuoso St Vincent. It’s a cliché but the crowd really do go wild. Hopefully the design of this courtyard will mean the noise generated tonight stays in the confides of Somerset House because I can already tell this is going to be noisy.
The band launch into the industrial sound of Broken Man. There’s a constant thud of hammer on lead driving the track forward. We’re soon onto track two and it’s Fear the Future – overly distorted guitar riff and .. oh my gosh it’s THE guitar, the signature Musicman, this is a three humbucker black one. “Come on Sir, just give me an answer” she demands.
By her own admission, Clark is inspired and influenced by the likes of David Bowie, Kate Bush, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Jimi Hendrix. All attributes on show tonight, the avant-garde nature of Bowie, the guitar skill and technique of Hendrix, the theatrical performance of Bush and the late 70’s punk sound and attitude of The Banshees.
On to Pay Your Way in Pain. The keyboard reminds me of Sweet Dreams by The Eurythmics and perfectly shows off her vocal range. “What do you want, what do you want?” Flea is next – its pulsating and heavy. One of the heavier tracks of the show and demonstrates just how tight her band are.
Violent Times has all the hall marks of a Bond song. How has she not done a Bond theme? The heavily overdriven guitar sound has given way to a twangy “big room” one. That thumping hammer on lead is also back. After Cheerleader, the stage empties and we’re treated to a drum solo, a lost art and a throwback to the 1970’s.
Everyone comes back on stage and St Vincent makes her way to the front of the stage to hold hands with a fan. She suggests a possibility of joining the crowd ... “well I’ll think about it”, she jokes. In she goes and New York is sung while crowd surfing. St Vincent is a regular crowd surfer but she doesn’t look that steady or confident and soon makes her way back to the stage.
All Born Screaming feels like it should be the end, but it isn’t. The haunting choral opening, repeating the line “All born screaming”. The rhythm of the sequencer slowly builds and then the drums join, still “all born screaming” is being repeated by the band. The overall sound is incredible. A final respite for the crowd as the sequencer and drums cut and just leave St Vincent singing the same and only line that has threaded through the song.
Singing the sublime, stripped back Candy Darling is the finale. That soft gentle 60’s piano drifts across the crowd, followed by the equally as gentle melody. What a show and what a performance. Well done Somerset House for securing such a talent for this years series.
Set List:
1. Broken Man
2. Fear the Future
3. Los Ageless
4. Birth in Reverse
5. Dilettante
6. Pay Your Way in Pain
7. Flea
8. Cheerleader
9. (followed by drum solo)
10. Big Time Nothing
11. Marrow
12. Violent Times
13. New York
14. Sugarboy
15. All Born Screaming
16. Candy Darling
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