It’s been six long years since Kittie last stepped on UK soil and almost 10 years since debut album 'Spit' projected the band straight into the Metal scene at the height of ‘Nu-Metal’.  Since Kittie released their 2nd album back in 2001 there has been numerous line-up changes as founding member Fallon Bowman left and Kerrang pin-up Talena Atfield was replaced. 2004’s album Oracle passed relatively unnoticed just as the guitar techs completing the line up were drafted in and out. The latest CD was released in 2007 on their own imprint and once again fell short of their previous success but didn’t deserve to be ignored.

Tonight they turn up looking as fierce as ever and sounding as fresh and exciting as they did at the start of the decade. The mosh pit looks like hard work but it’s exactly where the fans want to be. The front row sprawl onto the stage from the pushing crowd. The surfers fall onto the stage knocking over microphone stands and anything else that gets in their way. But it doesn’t stop Kittie… and on this form not much would. Glimpses of the past in ‘Spit’ and ‘Brackish’ get the highest ovation, but the newer material sound doesn’t disappoint.

It was the type of show that would be listed in end of the year charts across the heavy metal press. It won't go down as one of the shows that in years to come people will be proud of the fact they witnessed it… but for the majority of the crowd they will remember this for a long time to come.


Reviewed by Daniel Gray

Photography by Daniel Gray