Tonight was the kickoff of her U.S. tour in support of her new CD, "Tiger Suit." Her band came out in wigs and makeup, dressed like dead rock stars -- John Bonham, Sid Vicious, Mozart ("the original rock star) and Ziggy Stardust (OK, so he's just a David Bowie character, but he's inactive). KT herself wore a blond wig, striped shirt and a bullet hole in the forehead as Kurt Cobain. Bad taste? Come on, it was Halloween.
Anyway, KT and her band played 22 songs over 1 3/4 hours, including a three-song encore that wrapped up with "Suddenly I See."
-- A highlight: A solo version of "Other Side of the World," where she played a synthesizer and slowed down the tempo.
-- A surprise: She can't be much more than 5 feet, as everybody in the band, including lead guitarist Charlotte Hatherly, is a head or more taller.
-- A gratuitous comparison: Last time I was at this venue, I marveled at the purity of Patty Griffin's voice, which is itself an amazing instrument, especially on acoustic numbers. KT, on the other hand, is the complete package as a rock 'n' roller, totally into it as a musician and singer-songwriter with a big, bold voice.
Throughout, Tunstall displayed a playful sense of humor:
"You love me?" she responded to a fan. "I love you too. I love you more than you love me -- and I don't even know you. Which makes me loose."
And, just before her last song, she told the audience: "You live in a beautiful corner of the world -- and your s*** is cheap!"
I missed KT on her last appearance in Portland two years ago. Sure was glad to catch her tonight.
