Reader Maid and hubby went to what was billed at the 7 p.m. (early) show at the Record Bar on Saturday Night (Jan. 21, 2012), which is usually acts trying to break into the prime time K. C. bar circuit or acts aimed at older crowds. Here's their take on the show:
Katlyn Conroy did a solo opening set for the main early-show act, Kirsten Paluden and the Key Party. Katlyn's voice suited her playlist, which consisted of haunting melodies and twenty-something confessional lyrics that were pretty much all alike. Although pleasant, Katlyn clearly needs to change it up a bit if she plans to be the main act. However, Katlyn's set proved to be the better experience as, sadly, like most live performers in small spaces, Kirsten Paluden let the band overpower her vocals so that her voice and lyrics were pretty much drowned out by the instruments. This phenomena pervades the live music scene; so much so that my husband and I have concluded that it must be because so many vocal artists have damaged their hearing and so are not really able to judge the proper sound levels for their instruments and vocals. It's too bad as, had we been able to hear Kirsten over the music, we think we might have enjoyed her performance. As it is, we left about 20 minutes into the first set rather than damage our hearing.
Katlyn Conroy did a solo opening set for the main early-show act, Kirsten Paluden and the Key Party. Katlyn's voice suited her playlist, which consisted of haunting melodies and twenty-something confessional lyrics that were pretty much all alike. Although pleasant, Katlyn clearly needs to change it up a bit if she plans to be the main act. However, Katlyn's set proved to be the better experience as, sadly, like most live performers in small spaces, Kirsten Paluden let the band overpower her vocals so that her voice and lyrics were pretty much drowned out by the instruments. This phenomena pervades the live music scene; so much so that my husband and I have concluded that it must be because so many vocal artists have damaged their hearing and so are not really able to judge the proper sound levels for their instruments and vocals. It's too bad as, had we been able to hear Kirsten over the music, we think we might have enjoyed her performance. As it is, we left about 20 minutes into the first set rather than damage our hearing.
