Kindiefest 2010: Frances England

Of all the sets I was anticipating at Kindiefest this year, Frances England's was probably at the top of the list. Many of the others I'd seen (heck, I'd even booked Justin Roberts and Recess Monkey for shows myself), but Frances was not one of them, and despite my relative West Coast proximity, her comparative touring seclusion meant that my chances of doing so were not great.

Based on other, older YouTube clips of her live show, I'd wondered how England would fit in among the rockers on the showcase. How would those delicate songs translate live?

I'm stupid and need not have worried, of course, because they kicked butt live. England and her band turned "Busy as a Bee" from her debut Fascinating Creatures into a shuffling rocker that picked up momentum every time the quartet headed into the chorus. The other old songs had a similarly-beefed up sound, and the new songs from her fall release (we hope) tentatively titled Mind of My Own also sounded rambunctious and ragged in a good way, as if the little toddlers England once wrote for were getting comfortable in their own skin and exploring the world and getting into troubles of their own.

Oh, and the red hats the band whipped out for "Jacques Cousteau," another new track? Second only to Recess Monkey's silver pants in Kindiefest attire. (Pictures below.) So, yeah, I'm glad I made the trip.

Frances England - "Mind of My Own" (Live at Kindiefest 2010) [YouTube]