KY Show Reviews

Kristeen Young is one of my favorite singer/songwriter/performers of all time....her and Tori Amos. Kristeen has done a St. Louis Christmas Eve Eve (Dec. 23rd) show two years in a row now, and both have been very bittersweet for me. Last year's show was at Off Broadway, and I had broken up with my ex of seven years in September. My best friend Mathilda was with me, and he walked in the place with a new girl. Four months after I moved out, he had a new girl. I felt so sick. But I knocked back some rum and cokes, and when Kristeen started playing, I was free and the world was right again. She played several new songs that I had not yet heard, which are now on her 2011 EP V The Volcanic. I even ran into her in the bathroom about an hour before she started the show! She consoled me as I told her about my very uncomfortable situation. I should mention that my ex is the reason I got into her music, so I know that I'm going to see him at every St. Louis show she does from now on. We went to many of her shows when we were together. The show this year was at Cicero's, and I was once again without someone new in my life. He was there with the same girl, plus their four friends who completely took his side and disposed of me. My mother was there with me, but it's just so humiliating to be there knowing that there's this group of people who more or less hate you and are not on your side. I was once again struck with that sick feeling, one that I had to kill with 4 glasses of wine and 3 beers. Luckily, my mother drove. But as with last year, I felt free and good again once she started playing. She opened with one brand new, never-before-heard song, and the rest were nothing short of rocking my fucking face off. I sang heartily along with every song after that first one. I simply could not contain it. Everything ended up being just fine, and I even said hello to my ex's girlfriend when I ran into her in the bathroom! It's amazing how much alcohol loosens a person up. I don't know if I'll still be single at next year's show (assuming that, hopefully, there will be one). I hope I'm not, but I very well could be. I will deal with it, though, and try not to care about those people being around. Those people who think it's a good idea to get drunk and call me up at 1:30 am on a Saturday. Yes, this actually happened at the beginning of November. But did any of them have the decency to say hello to me at the show? No. Once again, it's pretty much a never-ending barrage of assholes that move in and out of your life. I'm better off, but it's very hard to remember that when you're out in a bar with nobody except your mother. I'm extremely grateful that she was there, though. I'm grateful that the whole thing happened.