ethereal excellence
The Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh saw the last night of the Bat for Lashes tour, and what a note to end it on. Bat for Lashes (aka Natasha Khan) has played here before, remarking in a soft and husky voice on the memory of the distinctive blue and gold decor, and produced a night that no-one in attendance will forget in a hurry.
Over the course of 17 songs, the outside world was swept away, and we were present in her realm. On a stage with Laura Groves on keys, Charlotte Hatherley on guitar, we delved into songs spanning her career, from her first album, Fur and Gold, through to her newest release, The Dream of Delphi, dedicated to her daughter born in 2020.
Beautiful stylised flags formed the backdrop of the stage, and striking light design accompanied with each song. “The Dream of Delphi” from her new album her voice soars to fill the space entirely, paired with meticulously planned choreography. Natasha, Laura and Charlotte performing repetitive gestures, mimicking motherhood, cradling and swaying in precise unison.
With “Sarah”, we have similarly beautifully orchestrated experience, percussively slamming a stick into the stage, with bolts of light, in a deeply primal way. A rearranged version of “Daniel” sees Natasha bathed in light, throwing an enormous silhouette against backdrop. In a few numbers, such as “Tahiti” and “Let’s Get Lost”, she plays the piano pieces, in delightful contrast to the more explosive numbers. “Lillies” was perhaps my favourite of the main set, reaching a howling crescendo at the peak of the song.
The theme of her daughter weaves it way through the show, from songs that were written for her, and movingly described as for when she’s gone, such as in “Letter to my Daughter”, to a couple of poems, which are performed with natural charm and charisma. “If you be the universe” is spoken with heartbreaking authenticity, whereas the second, beginning with “Your unibrow looking like two magical dragons kissing” shows her playful side.
If Natasha was struggling with her voice, as she alluded to recent laryngitis, there was no evidence on stage, as her voice sounded as vibrant and otherworldly as ever. Similarly, she had a couple of comments about the light and sound, but neither were in evidence here, and indeed added a touch of intimacy to her performance by the fact she cared so deeply about perfecting these elements, even so deep into her tour.
After an initial standing ovation, we were awarded with an emotional encore comprising “All Your Gold”, sung with closed eyes, “Wilderness”, and closing with an exquisite version of “Laura” and an even more rapturous standing ovation (and a few tears in the audience).
“It’s so nice to celebrate with you all” remarked Natasha towards the end of the show, delighting in an audience that has come together to experience the same moment, and given the reception she received, the feeling was more than mutual.