For anyone who has seen Gilmore Girls or heard the soft, enchanting vocals of Margo Guryan, Kate Bollinger is sure to ring a familiar bell. If you haven’t, she could bring a fresh, new autumnal sound to your speakers. Bollinger’s voice is like fall leaves in the wind — breathy, soothing, and peaceful. And, to my delight, it holds up in person as beautifully as it does recorded.
The night began with opener Anastasia Coope, a small indie-alternative artist from Hudson Valley, New York. She walked on stage with the poise of a princess, dressed in a satin baby pink blouse, white pajama shorts, and at least five-inch chunky black heels. A big, retro, auburn wig topped the whole look off (literally). Apparently, there were wigs backstage (Hold tight, this comes up again later). Coope’s silly and somewhat chaotic look was playfully compounded by her characteristically dry sense of humor.
The 21-year-old singer-songwriter opened her set with “Tough Sun,” a single from July 2023. Her sound is immediately recognizable as spectral, wondrous, and raw. She lets her voice do most of the work with minimal guitar intervention. In fact, the guitar she played was not her’s at all. “Thanks Kate for letting me borrow your guitar,” she said midway through her set. Aww rang throughout the audience (myself included). She continued with songs from her recently released debut album Darning Woman. In “He is On His Way Home, We Don’t Live Together,” Coope layers vocal arrangements like rock deposits in a riverbed. Each harmony adds a layer of depth and texture that is unpredictable but wholly beautiful. Her sound is also distinctly eerie. Throughout the show, Coope juxtaposed a low register alongside high, angelic harmonies, producing a ghostly sound. Listening to her haunting and ethereal fluctuations in timbre, I was reminded of a dark poet.
Kate took the show in an entirely different direction. Forget the spotlights, her smile alone was enough to light up the whole room. With a bubbly, cheery personality, it was easy to see how her guitar ended up in Anastacia Coope’s hands. Bollinger is a sweetheart, through and through. Her purple polka-dot dress was as retro as her sound, and her tan ballet block heels were as youthful as her band.
I wasn’t the only one stoked to see the talented young musician perform either. Ten minutes into the show, a group of twenty-somethings shouted “This girl’s name is Kate B!” in unison. “Oh, those are my friends,” Kate laughed. Then she introduced the crowd to Jacob, who has been screaming that line at every Kate Bollinger performance he has seen since high school. “Three cheers for Jacob!” Kate exclaimed. And three cheers Jacob got. The tone of the night was set. Bollinger went on to play a beautiful, wholesome, friendly, lighthearted show at Nashville’s The Blue Room.
Her band consisted of four independent musicians (Noel Friesen, Pierce Gibson, Noisebody, and Rayla Delanova) who came together for a short leg of the tour, but it seemed to me like they had been friends all their lives. They supported Bollinger wonderfully, cheering her on and restarting when she couldn’t stop giggling during one of her songs. In fact, they imbued the whole room with a warm, fuzzy feeling. I’ve been to who knows how many concerts in my life, but this was my first time at a show that felt so friendly. Despite going alone, I felt totally comfortable laughing and dancing with my neighbors. I credit Bollinger for creating such a welcoming environment at her show. Whether or not you came with friends, it was hard to feel alone in her presence.
Kate Bollinger performed her first album, Songs From A Thousand Frames Of Mind, alongside a mix of songs from past EPs and single releases. She started the set with my former personal favorite “What’s This About (La La La La).” It’s a whimsical, indie-pop track peppered with nostalgic, carefree vocals. The song has a distinct, early 2000s sound with summery acoustic guitar and playful percussion. Next, she transitioned to the slower “To Your Own Devices.” In the intimate, echoey atmosphere of the Blue Room, I felt like a spell had been cast over me. Bollinger hit each note effortlessly, and the bass and drums kept perfect time. By the time she moved on to the darker, romantic “Sweet Devil,” I didn’t know which song was my favorite anymore. Each was so enchanting live that I couldn’t decide.
Bollinger’s sound was enhanced by her drummer, Pierce. Eyes closed, brows furrowed, Pierce played like he was feeling the music in his bones. Seeing his passion only increased my appreciation for the show. And he contributed rich background vocals that transformed the songs completely. While I adore Bollinger’s solo vocal work, Pierce added a new dimension that reminded me deeply of Flyte, a British indie-pop-folk band known for soft, retro melodies and bone-chilling harmonies.
At the end of the night, Bollinger and her band wooed the audience one last time. Instead of returning for the encore the same way they had left, they wore big, goofy wigs found backstage. The audience applauded and whooped.
I strongly recommend catching Kate Bollinger the next time she comes to Nashville. She is a joy to watch, and her audience is a joy to laugh with. Maybe you’ll even hear the familiar shout “This girl’s name is Kate B!”
Listen to Kate Bollinger here: