A show we always wanted! Live report of Kittie’s show in London at The Dome

After taking a break in 2017, Kittie made a fantastic comeback in 2022 with a few festival performances, showing just how strong their music still is. Their dedicated fans show that Kittie was a pioneer for female metal artists, and I count myself among those fans. Discovering a unique female band when you’re just fourteen is such an amazing experience. Sure, there have been plenty of female bands before them, but what are the chances you get that perfect cassette tape from a friend right when you need it?

Being a teenager and dropping an album like “Spit” as your first one, then touring around the world and sharing the stage with legends like Slipknot and Pantera, is pretty much the ultimate dream for any teen, right? The term “excited” fails to capture the spectrum of emotions I felt in the lead-up to this show. And of course, you can’t help but wonder how a band that played a big role in the metal scene as teenager would sound now that they’re all grown up, right?

To accompany this special show, Holy Wars was there as support act.

A big thanks to Dave from The Noise Cartel for having us!

Holy Wars

It was 20:15, which probably meant we were in for a bit of a wait. Holy Wars made their way to the stage, almost like the drummer had just arrived. Kat Leon’s vibrant energy, bouncing and grooving on stage, was totally contagious. Before long, folks started dancing and jumping around too. The energy from the band members, the catchy tunes, and the overall vibe totally connected with everyone in the room. By the time they got to the third song, the mosh pit was already going strong! I guess there aren’t really any hard and fast rules for a mosh pit, and pretty much any genre can work, don’t you think?

So, if you haven’t come across them yet, Holy Wars is this band hailing from Los Angeles. The project was born out of personal loss and a desire to transform that grief into something meaningful through cinematic music. Their sound blends rock, alternative, and pop with a dark, theatrical flair, featuring Kat Leon’s intense, haunting vocals and some seriously dramatic production. I’m thinking of it as a new spin on alternative music, drawing inspiration from various genres, including metal. I figured I just couldn’t quite nail down their style, and you know what? Maybe that’s okay—sometimes it’s better to just let it be and not push my own opinion on it.

The atmosphere in the venue was really intense, and you could feel the adrenaline in the air.

Photo: Peterson Marti

Kittie

1. Fire
2. I’ve Failed You
3. Cut Throat
4. Oracle
5. Spit
6. We Are Shadows
7. Eyes Wide Open
8. Looks So Pretty
9. Vultures
10. What I Always Wanted
11. Severed
12. One Foot In The Grave
13. Do You Think I’m a Whore
14. Charlotte
15. Brackish
16. We Are the Lamb

After finishing my second bottle of water, we hung out waiting for Kittie until 21:15. There was some “interesting” music playing to keep the lively crowd entertained, ranging from Vengaboys to Madonna. A peculiar choice for the night, I must say. It was already a night full of surprises, and by this time, we figured the air conditioning had given up.

Kittie kicked off their London show with “Fire,” bringing a blast of charm and energy that hit The Dome right in the teeth. Morgan Lander, the band’s frontlady, reminds us that it’s been 15 years since they last played in London. To celebrate, they added some extra flair to the set list just for this special occasion, and naturally, they saved the best for last. We were definitely in for a treat, and the band gave us a full set of 16 songs, including a sweet Happy Birthday to bass player Ivy.

So, for those who might not know, Kittie dropped a new album in 2024 called “Fire” of which we heard the title track “Fire,” along with “We are Shadows” and “One Foot In the Grave” during the show.

I really didn’t expect anything less than the amazing performance we saw. The energy and the way those ladies delivered was just remarkable. Sometimes it felt like there was no break between the songs, almost like they wanted to give us everything all at once without letting us catch our breath. We were jumping into the moshpit, and it was wild! Personal belongings were flying everywhere as everyone went crazy for “Oracle” and “Spit.”I got caught up in it too!

“Please drink water” Morgan shouted at us…Don’t tell me twice! After my third bottle of water, my head finally cleared up, and I started to notice what was going on around me. I saw so many people crowdsurfing on the stage, while poor Ivy and Tara had to dodge some fans who were trying to hug them. You know, I’m not really sure why the venue doesn’t have any barricades or anything. It was pretty tough for the stage manager to handle all those people rushing the stage all at once.

After a quick break, the band totally surprised us with the fan favourites “Charlotte” and “Brackish,” making everyone lose the last brain cell we had left from this amazing night, closing with “We Are the Lamb.”

All sweaty and happy, just before leaving, Mercedes Lander, drummer and sister of Morgan came back on stage to thank everyone who was still there. A very nice touch!

Photo: Peterson Marti