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KATY STEELE
+ Taylah Carrol
@ Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne,
2nd March 2024
(Live Review)

Review by Stephanie Tang

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PHOTO CREDIT: PENNY LANE

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Hot on the heels of last year’s national tour promoting her album “Big Star”, Katy Steele returns on the road to deliver a stripped back, reimagined offering. Dubbed the “Broken” tour supporting her latest single, Steele alongside producer Grammy has carefully selected intimate venues across Australia to deliver their magical séance.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Prahran, the thick bluestone walls of Chapel Off Chapel is like Aladdin’s cave, concealing an unimaginable unique concert experience. The entrance lobby giving cinema vibes is unexpected, but jaws on the floor, as soon as you walk into the chapel. With a massive pointed arch stained glass window as the central background, heavy black curtains all around, people start to take their seats in the raised bleachers.

Gobsmacked by the incredible high pointed ceilings, there is a low murmur before hushed silence as Taylah Carrol ascends quietly on stage. Melbourne based, Carrol receives warm applause and encouragement as she starts her set. Carrol’s haunting vocals and folksy guitar swathed in blue and yellow light on each side of the stage, collide like bokeh. A lucid dream rolling from the sleepy sways of “Gumption” to the hypnotic strumming of “Sometimes Good People Do Bad Things” and stroppy laments of “Intentions”.

One can almost smell the frankincense, with smoke wafting around the stage and in the air, circling with piercing high notes that Carrol effortlessly radiates. It’s just Carrol soloing up there on stage with her guitar, and on occasion she takes a seat at the keyboard. The audience is enrapt in her shimmering aura, the venue made for this nostalgic Bowie alternate reality. In the last verse of “Sometimes Good People Do Bad Things”, the lighting faded until the stage was only backlit, ending with Carrol’s face in dramatic shadow. It took the crowd’s breath away.

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Amidst the drama there was time for fun with cheeky track “Maybe Santa is a Witch”. A poky tongue track about the role of feminism or (lack of mention) in Christmas. With clever dark lyrics that’s only telling the truth, set with red beams on all sides aiming at Carrol on keys, made for a stunning setting.

The small room size not only meant a more intimate visual experience, but also audio. The church choir always sounds next level, thanks to the towering ceilings in cathedrals. Every note from both Carrol and Steel tonight was delivered with perfection, no cracks, powerful, deliberate. As clear as a crystal, and as strong as a diamond yet breathy enough to give you goosebumps.

Feeling thoroughly relaxed and soothed, tonight’s main act Katy Steele graces the stage with Grammy. Looking ever the front woman in a zebra print blazer and thigh high boots embroidered with celestial motifs, Steele settles excitedly behind an electric piano. At each corner of the stage, a blue light points up shooting columns into the sky. The twinkling piano and Steele’s iconic voice glitters like the stars. But alas technical difficulties!

She’s no novice from her time with Little Birdy, Steele powers on despite a beat mishap on their backing track not even faltering in voice or instrumentals. Grammy is diligent on the synth, and soon everyone is enraptured in twinkling pop with a waltzing rhythm. Dramatic pop stacked with layers upon layers of sky high vocals is what Steele does best. Even in this stripped back setting the melodies of “Falling Apart”, “No Slave” and of course “Big Star” are sonorous, and perhaps sound even better with minimal noise competing with Steele’s voice.

After several newer tracks Steele introduces some songs from her first solo album “Humans” to whoops and cheers from the crowd. A slinky, jazzy rock song “No Slave” has Steele’s voice piercing up into the heavens, swathed in tinkling woody synth notes. Transitioning smoothly into long phrases of “Rescue Boat”, it feels like bowing strings are swaying you along.

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Now we move even more into the past with surprises from the Little Birdy era. It is now evident many people here tonight are fans of Little Birdy as Steel begins “Hairdo” as the crowd has a hushed sing along. A twisting weaving track like driving along the Venice beach coastline is how Steele describes this track.

Showing off a lower octane of her voice, Steele launches in “Right Side of the Road” then oscillates into the punchy hook like a surrealist Kate Bush dream. A string of songs such as “DLYLO”, “End is Near”, various Little Birdy favourites and “Feel So Bad” whiles the crowd away on a journey that is part indie rock, part modern pop and part 80’s electronica. Graham McLuskie, who goes by Grammy who is collaborator and partner of Steele even sings on one of the tracks. A sweet duet that starts to wind the evening up.

Finishing with upbeat “Come and See Me” or so we thought, the stage backdrop is a kaleidoscopic crystal of colours. With Steele’s soaring vocals and organ like synths, every time she draws out a note it is like sunlight hitting a crystal cutting a rainbow prism.

Perhaps it was a planned encore, perhaps the crowd cheers and stamping feet gave renewed energy, but Steele graciously performed two more songs. One from Little Birdy and “Signal To You”. So ended a night of magical storytelling as the spotlight faded, and the room darkened. Church never sounded so good.

Tonight’s show was a truly special way to share a reimagined listening of Steel as a solo artist, showcasing her as a light that can’t be dimmed. Make sure you catch one of these intimate shows on the Broken tour. Hopefully tonight’s stripped back versions will be released soon, otherwise it would be a sin.

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Follow KATY STEELE
FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM – TWITTER – SPOTIFY

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Press Release 29th February 2024 (below) HERE

KATY STEELE
shares new single
‘BROKEN’

+ Announces forthcoming EP

LISTEN TO SINGLE HERE

Tour kicks off this week

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

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AMNPLIFY – DB