Last night at the Red Room in Vancouver was a show I just got more and more stoked for. I heard Kittie was coming to Van, and my first thought was, that’s neat, maybe I’ll go. Then about a month ago I remembered I saw them at the Croation Cultural Centre in like 2000 at age 15, and then I realized, hey that was my first metal show. My first. An all-women metal band that blew my hormone-riddled mind. How did I forget something like that until now? I think it was even one of those defining moments in my life where I first thought – I could be a metal musician too! And what’s more, Disturbed opened for them back then. Now Disturbed is huge. Kittie should be as huge, because they ruled last night, and have been ruling for over a decade, little did I realize all this time. After high school they dropped off my radar, even after I listened to Spit so much I bet my parents still remember the lyrics to “Brackish.”
After not visiting the west coast for over a decade, they came back with a vengeance. And every opener was a buildup to it. Bonded by Blood killed, and The Agonist and Blackguard repped the rich Quebec heavy-music scene and femetal-musician power something fierce. (New favourite drummer: Justine Ethier, a speed-precision heavy-hitting juggernaut, swigging nothing but Jaegermeister. Gotta stay hydrated right?).
And Kittie comes on heavy as fuck, an evolved, riff-n-rhythm powerhouse. Gone are the coy-talk vocals, replaced by nothing but hefty cookie monster vox and strong melodies courtesy the Lander sisters. Added are the tasteful solos of lead guitarist Tara McLeod. Excellent to see former member Trish Doan returned on bass, after having left for several years for medical reasons. Her friendly stage presence (and rock star faces) gave the lineup a little more accessibility from the crowd’s perspective, not that they needed much more. They were a pleaser for a crowd aching for some Kittie action for too long.
So, dear Kittie, please accept my apology for neglecting you for a decade, and I’ll accept yours. Just come back more often, eh?
