Kitty Coen’s Nashville performance was my live introduction to indie pop, alternative rock and the so-called “country western” genre, as stated by her Spotify biography. As far as I knew, I was going to The End, a venue in a part of the city I don’t frequent, but once Coen began playing, I knew I was in the right place to have a great Saturday evening. Coen was one of the opening acts for the NYC group Stolen Gin; with her performance, she not only opened perfectly but also set the standard high for the coming group.
With shouts like “WHERE ARE ALL MY VIRGOS AT?”, she inspired whoops and yells from the crowd. This mention of astrology led the audience to ask what her sign was, to which she said, “Aries — I was born on March 26.” During the middle of her setlist, she announced that she was going to play a song about “getting stoned while listening to Taylor Swift,” a single titled “everything’s a mess.” In response, a man excitedly yelled “I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT,” a statement that was seconded by many other members of the audience.
“Don’t say I didn’t tell you,” Coen said after announcing she was going to play “el paso,” a song warning about not falling in love with cowboys.
The venue itself was dimly lit, but Coen’s vocals illuminated the room and succeeded in impacting me.
Coen is relatively new to the music scene but has been rising rapidly and building community wherever her music lands, as shown by the profound emotion I felt within the crowd that night. The walls of The End were lined with the names of artists that performed there previously, including the likes of Tim McGraw, Cage the Elephant, Moon Taxi and more. Upon concluding her performance, Coen thanked the crowd and left knowing that her name would now forever be on the walls in great company.
