Marble Factory, Wednesday 19 July 2023
Spotting ‘Bristol’ on a King Princess tour poster for Europe did surprise me. Why Bristol, among dates in London and Manchester? Why not Birmingham, or another major city such as Nottingham? Immediately, I knew this was something I needed to see for myself, and what better venue for the 24 year old New York native to perform at, than our own beloved Marble Factory. Sweaty, rough around the edges, perfect.
A performance which sent the girls, gays and theys into a complete frenzy – just by her stage presence, the audience was going crazy at the simplest of movement. Don’t be fooled however, Mikaela Mullaney Straus is more than just your standard pop royalty. Her music has solidified her status as a queer icon, and a strong LGBT representation within the music industry. Her 2018 breakthrough single 1950 about her own queer love story, with homage paid to queer love throughout history. Certified platinum in both Australia and here in the UK, Straus’ fanbase lies strongly within our country, despite not performing here since before the coronavirus pandemic in 2019.
Her performance strongly embodied themes of youth and lust; combined with dreamy guitar riffs and heavier drums beats in a sweaty Marble Factory, Straus’ infectious charm translated through to the crowd, with a positive energy buzzing throughout the room. Accompanied with hits from her sophomore album Hold On Baby, we also had a surprise performance from support act Boyish to perform their song with King Princess Kill Your Pain’ Their performance in the support slot was met positively by the crowd, so as expected, the crowd welcomed them back with open arms.
A highlight of the show for myself was KP’s performance of Hold On Baby lead single For My Friends, which came after a touching speech made by Straus about the community which has formed around her fanbase, and people who have met through her music who care so deeply for one another. A pivotal and emotional turning point in the show, the performance really solidified the importance of queer representation within music and the need for safe spaces for young queer people within live music.
Admittedly, I haven’t listened to her properly since my late teens, around the time of her debut EP Make My Bed. However, her impressive and diverse discography reminded me that after a period of abstinence, I should indulge in her music once again. Closing the show with an encore performance of Talia from the same EP, I am once again in awe of her musical narrative and ability to portray what it’s like to be young and queer.
Daisy Kent @daisylkent
Role: Photographer / Reviewer / Interviewer
Hi! I'm Daisy, and I'm a music photographer and digital creative. I also write live music reviews.
Qualifications: 2:1 in BA Photography: Editorial and Advertising at the University of Gloucestershire.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Gig Reviews, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots, Interviews and Touring
First attended gig: Mcfly at Westonbirt Arboretum, June 2009.
First gig shot: My first photo gig was The Stranglers at O2 Academy Bristol, in March 2019. My first writing and photo gig was Bastille at Marble Factory, in February 2022.
Dream gig: Taylor Swift, 100%. No doubt.
