While we wait for Kate Bush to re-enter the studio, the time is nigh to take in some tribute acts, including An Evening Without Kate!
While many great musicians have tribute acts, Kate Bush is no exception. Some include Cloudbusting, Moments of Pleasure, The Kate Bush Experience, Kate Bush-Ka and An Evening Without Kate.
The latter, starring Sarah-Louise Young, is headed for Australia in a show that Broadway Baby called a “true masterpiece that only she (and potentially Kate Bush) could pull off”.
For Young, An Evening Without Kate Bush is a chance to express her admiration for the beloved singer, performing classic hits such as Running Up That Hill, Cloudbusting and The Man With The Child In His Eyes. There are even some B-sides, bootlegs and unique interpretations of songs like Babooshka.
Sarah-Louise Young
“Like many people of my generation, I fell in love with Kate Bush when she first burst onto our TV screens in 1978,” says Young.
“I thought she was nothing like any of us had encountered before. At nineteen, she seemed fully formed as an artist and went on to change our musical landscape forever. Over the years, she became the soundtrack to my life and when I listen to her songs, they immediately hot-wire me back to different memories or moments from the past.”
Kate Bush, who rose to fame at nineteen with her memorable hit Wuthering Heights, quickly became an icon within the gay community and children of the seventies/eighties.
“Kate’s songs offered me an alternative to the basic boy-meets-girl narrative of most pop songs.”
“Growing up as a young woman in the eighties and nineties, her songs offered me an alternative to the basic boy-meets-girl narrative of most pop songs,” says Young.
“Here was Kate singing about global warming, nuclear war and the philosopher Gurdjieff! She even wrote about the dangers of getting sucked into the internet before social media even existed.”
Sarah-Louise Young
Co-created by Young with Russell Lucas, the show was developed through years of Bush-related research, including her unique fan base (known as fish people).
“When I chat to fans after our show it’s amazing how profound and powerful her albums are for so many people,” says Young.
Sarah-Louise Young
“I’m touched by how many of them share personal stories about lost loved ones or how her music has impacted their lives. It’s also amazing to see the reaction from non-fans – people who may have been dragged along by a friend or may not know many of her songs. The show is a celebration of music and community. Most say that they laughed and cried in equal measure.”
“Kate’s songs immediately hot-wire me back to different memories or moments from the past.”
Matt with Sarah-Louise Young
Young’s performance, which includes some familiar Bush costumes, including black feathered capes, red leotards and a dunce cap, also leans into improvisation and audience participation.
“It’s very much ‘opt-in’,” says Young.
“Whilst some audience members like to jump up and join me onstage for backing vocals, they are equally welcome to enjoy the show from the comfort of their seats. But it’s not a traditional tribute show. I don’t impersonate Kate. You’ll hear familiar songs, but it’s as much about how her music makes us feel and the impact on our lives. Think ‘essence of Kate’. As the name suggests, she may not be present in person, but we hope her spirit very much is!”
Sarah-Louise Young Onstage
As proven by the success of Running Up That Hill on Stranger Things, where Bush gained a new generation of young fans, the artist’s music is phenomenal and timeless. It would be fair to say unparalleled. A true icon, her work is continuously being discovered, rediscovered and appreciated.
“Even if you don’t consider yourself part of the shoal of fish people, our audiences often leave feeling uplifted,” says Young.
“They are keen to go home and disappear down a YouTube wormhole! They realise An Evening Without Kate wasn’t what they were expecting, but they loved it!”
For more visit: withoutkatebush.com
Follow Sarah-Louise on Instagram @slytheatremaker
Sarah-Louise Young
