Paper Pools Loves Kate Bush

Allen Orr: I remember the first time I heard Kate Bush. It was the late 80s and I saw the video for “Cloudbusting” on MTV where Kate Bush and Donald Sutherland are pushing a massive machine called the “Cloudbuster” up a steep hill. The scenery reminded me of where we lived on the west coast of Ireland. Kate Bush instantly became one of my favorite artists. Fast-forward to 2014 when I found out that Kate was playing live for the first time in 35 years at the Apollo in London. I was living in Los Angeles and set my alarm for 3 am when tickets went on sale. It was either a miracle or meant to be, but I somehow scored 5th-row seats and was heading to London.

The show was half concert, half Broadway theatre. A helicopter hovers above the stage where projections of Kate lost at sea are played as she sings the hits that span her long career. Kate’s son Bertie sang alongside her. Jarvis Cocker sat directly behind me. She played a total of 25 songs in two acts finishing high with “Cloudbusting” as an encore. It was powerful; emotional. I’ve never seen a more appreciative crowd. It was by far the most memorable concert I’ve ever experienced and I felt lucky to be one of the few people to ever see Kate Bush perform live.

Paper Pools Loves Kate Bush: Paper Pools’ Turn on Your Lights EP is out now.