K. Flay w/ Kid Sistr & Corook • March 5, 2022 • The Complex
Reviewed by Carter Sears • Photographed by Jacob Moniz
With the snow pouring outside, it was immediately apparent that this was not going to be a normal concert. The security rushed us inside where everyone was waiting in line in The Grand Room of The Complex. Confusion and excitement filled the room with the sound of the end of a soundcheck coming from inside that night’s venue, as the band threw together what we would later learn to be a miracle set.
Corook
The first opener, Corook, would come out explaining she usually had backing tracks, and lights, and other fancy toys on stage. But tonight she simply had house lights, her guitar, one other guitarist, and a drummer. They started off obviously nervous, but she quickly found the groove of what seemed to be a new and unrehearsed “stripped” set. With the crowd getting notably hyped to a cover of the song “Stacy’s Mom” which then got her completely comfortable, tearing through the rest of her set.
Kid Sistr
The second band, Kid Sistr, who did have all their gear, came out and killed their set. With all three girls singing for different songs and times. The punk feel of their three-piece riff-rock had the crowd invested immediately. With the cover of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage”, sung by the drummer, the energy in the room was getting higher as everyone warped up from the snow and forgot about the strange entry plot.
As Kid Sistr went through their set, they also mentioned they were lucky to have all their gear being that it was their first show on this tour. The strange circumstances were felt more when as the band finished their energetic set, no roadies or stagehands were present. They pulled their own gear offsetting it side stage. Leaving up their bass, and what appeared to be their drum kit.
K. Flay
K.Flay came on quickly, without much stage setup having to be done. The band used Kid Sistr’s bass, and the first band’s guitar amp. They also used the plain blue drum kit that was left on stage all night. She opened with her high-energy song, “Four Letter Words”. Her performance matched that energy, becoming an insane stage presence right off the bat. Upon ending the song she explained some of the weirdness of the night.
The snowstorm that raged outside had caused their bus route into Salt Lake City to close. She and her band had flown in with none of their gear, lights, set, or anything else but a couple guitars and an amp. She had arrived at the venue at 7 pm, and doors opened at 8. Despite all of this, with borrowed gear, no in-ear monitors or tracks, no lights, just pure musicianship, K. Flay, and her band proceeded to play their full set, not cutting a single song from night’s previous setlist.
K. Flay’s energy was off the wall. Seeing her jump and run around the stage, roll on the floor, and switch through playing guitars, bass, or not playing an instrument at all, she led the entire night despite all of the difficulties with her getting there. Her set had intermittent speeches about what her songs were about, usually ending with the first line of a song. At the end of her set, she explained before the encore, she was letting her staff play a song, and she didn’t want us to miss on the experience. That’s when four staff members came on stage and played Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, before K.Flay came back to play two more songs. She thanked the venue. Stating that she was so glad she could make the show happen.
Even with all the technical issues and lack of gear, K.Flay and her band’s musicianship pulled through. They put on a high energy and exciting top tier performance, with an unforgettable story behind it.
