Saint Agnes has been touted as the next big thing in alternative rock, and to be honest we didn't find it to be that, exactly. Their lates album "Bloodsuckers," is a solid slab of modern Punk Rock and Nu-Metal with some electronic flourishes, somewhere between the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Rage Against The Machine, and there are a handful of genuinely catchy tunes, but it's nothing we haven't heard a hundred times before. With that said, on stage, they are the real deal. From the moment they stepped on stage (after an overly long droning intro), Saint Agnes unleashed a whirlwind of energy that engulfed the entire venue. It was as if a storm had been brewing, and once they hit that stage, it exploded into a frenzy of raw rock power.
The on-stage frenzy wasn't contained solely to the band and the crowd became swept up in the same intoxicating energy, transforming the first three rows into a collective catharsis of rock and roll euphoria.
Frontwoman Kitty A. Austen is a force to be reckoned with. Her presence is magnetic, commanding attention with every move she makes. She effortlessly balances charisma, attitude, and just the right touch of vulnerability, drawing the audience into her world with each lyric sung. And then there's guitarist Jon Tufnell, who exudes an enigmatic aura of rock n' roll mystique.
The performance was very intense, but clocking in at just under 50 minutes (closer to 45 actually), it was just too short for a headlining set. If they don't have any more material to present on stage, perhaps they should stick to support slots for another couple of years.
Despite a truly captivating performance and a few genuinely good songs, this fell short of the sonic revolution we were expecting. But Saint Agnes are still a relatively new act, and their potential is undeniable. If they don't lose that edge (and there's no reason to think that they will), it'll be interesting to see them mature. In the mean time, they remain a promising young band.
