Welcome back to another Live Music Friday here at Burgo’s Blog. For today’s post – and largely due to the fact that I’ve just watched “August Rush” again – I thought I would post something slightly different; a 2004 show, where guitar virtuoso Kaki King performed, lived at the Ironhorse.

Now, I’m pretty sure this show isn’t going to appeal to everyone. It’s not always “easy listening” music. But, especially if you’re a guitarist, I implore you to listen to this show.

Kaki King is one of those rare musicians who comes along, and you just know there’s something otherworldly there. There’s an emotion, and an intelligence behind her compositions that is few and far between in current music. With a sound that involves fret-tapping, slap bass, percussive guitars and – lately – sound layering and looping, Kaki King is reminscent of Michael Hedges, Preston Reed and Andy McKee.
In short… that’s bloody heady company.

In the last 2 years, particularly, Kaki has been getting some major mainstream exposure; not only is her music featured in the film “August Rush” – in fact, she was actually Freddy Highmore’s “action hands” – but she also contributed tunes to the, quite frankly, brilliant “Into the Wild” soundtrack. Add into that mix some major support from the Foo Fighters, and in particular Dave Grohl, and you can see this girl’s ready to hit it large.

While in the last few years, Kaki King has made an obvious effort to step back from the “solo instrumental artist” label that was beginning to attach itself to her – take one listen to her new single, “Pull Me Out Alive“, from her new album, “Dreaming Of Revenge“, and you’ll see what I mean -  this show from 2004 was more in her original style. There’s minimal vocals, acoustic guitar… and it remains one of my favourites.

If nothing else, make sure that you listen to the track, “Lies”. It’s pure poetry.

Listen. Love. Support.

Kaki King, live at Ironhorse, 10 June, 2004

1. Intro/Georgia On My Mind
2. All the Landslides Birds Have Seen
3. Playing With Pink Noise
4. Neanderthal
5. Solipsist
6. Ingots
7. Untitled
8. Lies
9. Can the Gwot Save Us
10. My Insect Life
11. Magazine
12. Doing the Wrong Thing
13. Carmine Street

Thanks go to the original taper, and thanks to Phil for originally turning me on to her music.

This has been a post from Burgo's Music Blog

Live Music Friday – Kaki King, live at Ironhorse

Possibly related posts:

1. Live Music Friday – Xavier Rudd, live at Bonnaroo Music Festival
2. Live Music Friday – Amos Lee, live on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic”
3. Live Music Friday – G Love & Special Sauce, live at the Belly-Up Tavern, 2006