Kate Nash is a real person. She is a living, breathing 20-year old female. So even though she started off the night on a less than perfect start, it was hard not to fall in love with her by the end of the evening.

“Made of Bricks” is one of the catchiest pop albums of 2008 to date. Songs such as “Merry Happy,” “Skeleton Song,” “Dickhead” and “Shit Song” are undeniably upbeat and refreshing. Nash has drawn comparisons to fellow brit Lily Allen but holds her own with her amazing piano playing abilities as a singer songwriter.

I was looking forward to catching Nash all week when I learned I would indeed be able to get in to her sold out set at the Vic this past Friday. The crowd was packed to the nines, high school girls, college girls, feminists, and a handful of gentlemen (drunk douche bag shouting Wu-Tang Clan and ‘Kate Nash, yeah!’ in Lil’ Jon contexts excluded—so yes, there was that one drunk still in attendance). It was a tight clan of hipsters, leggings, tats, baby doll dresses and an over exuberance of coolness. Kind of nauseating, actually. But one thing was certain, we were all there for the same reason, to catch this up and coming buzz artist blow us away with the lovable tracks that have been sprawled all over the internet and invading our radio waves.

After a 75 minutes sound check set up, however, the crowd was getting cranky or even worse, drunk. (Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players had taken to stage at 7:30, prompt, and had finished at 8:00, sharp.) Around 9:15, Nash and her 4-member band finally took to the girlified lavender curtain backdrop. The piano, set in center, was dressed with a red velvety curtain, complete with red bow and white lace trim. A glowing, pink neon cursive bar light hung high on the curtains, with our beloved singer’s name etched in a classic cursive font.

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It was a pretty set. I know, because I got to stare it forever. But anyway, the opening number was the radio friendly “Pumpkin Soup.” I was excited to hear it straight away, but surprised as I figured this would be held out to the encore. Nash reminded me of a teenage Jenny Lewis, sitting behind her piano decked in a silver coolat jumpsuit, hidden behind her mane of red bangs and hair.

Nash was nervous. No smiles, no hellos, no apologies for the long delay. No banter whatsoever. I scribbled ferociously in my little notebook. Fans muttered. She sounded so unsure of herself that I questioned whether maybe nerves and anxiety were possibly the reason for the late start. The end of the number was almost uncomfortable, with a tantrum like screaming repetitive fit of “Kiss Boy’s.” I felt like she wasn’t giving it her all—like my off-key tone-def series of “Kiss boy’s” I belt out at home while washing the dishes had more oomph in it. But then again, if that were a 20-year old me onstage in front of a foreign city packed full of drunken kids, I’d be a lot worse off than she was.

Point being, first impressions weren’t what I had hoped for. HOWEVER, Nash was just too damn likable and talented to stay mad at as she warmed up to the crowd. Once she got the warm whoops and whistles of appreciation and love the Chicago crowd gave her, she started to open up with more smiles and “Hellos” she had initially lacked, throwing in some humble “Thank you’s” as well. Capri Pizza down the street even got a shout out as she warmed up to some crowd banter. Following were the upbeat “Shit Song,” the pretty “Birds,” and the adorable Trachtenburg intervention with the Oh My God Girls, where Nash backed up Rachel and friend to the classic “Brand New Key.”

“They’re my favorite band, absolutely adorable,” Nash cooed, “They’re really fucking good aren’t they!” Nash exclaimed, with the most enthusiasm I had seen throughout the night, referring to both the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and the cutesy debut of the Oh My God Girls with a full back-up band.

After Nash had the stage to herself once again, she opened up to the loud drunks in the back, “This next song is quiet, so please shut up,”—moving forward to the next two songs, she picked up her acoustic guitar and delivered a beautiful performance of “I Hate Seagulls.”

Nash continued the show with the crowd pleasing favorite “Dickhead,” which brought the performance to a whole new level, merging jazzy bass with classic percussion and overlapped by Nash’s velvety British coo accented vocals. You could tell the confidence level was on a whole new plane as Nash even started dancing, swaying in her own rhythm.

Remaining highlights included “Skeleton Song,” which was complete with an insane shrieking, piano revival closure, complete with an anti-anorexia disclosure by Nash who continued to rant about image issues and how the media is bullshit, “We are not fat, we’re just normal!” She exclaimed, “Try not to feel like shit about yourself, it’s fucking shit.”

“Mariella” followed, with an almost skatting burst of “Neva eva eva eva eva eva eva’s!” at a speed which was unbelievable. Tracks “Mouthwash” and “Foundations” concluded the set, followed with a 3-song encore including “Merry Happy” and the unbelievable B-side, “Model Behaviour.”

“Model Behaviour” changed my view on Nash in a complete 360 turn around. The nervously meek and shy little girl at the beginning of the set had suddenly transformed into an angry, powerful punk rock goddess. While the track may not be my particular favorite, the performance of it most certainly was. Who would have guessed the humble, head-scratching pianist would have ended up jumping up and down screaming “You don’t have to suck dick to succeed,” “You’re just a bitch, you forgot to eat!” and “Nice dick lips!!!” as she writhed and pounced onstage. She explained that the song was inspired by a party full of famous “crack heads” who “thought they were awesome, Mr. king skinny,” and that she “absolutely hated their guts.” When asked by a member of the crowd who she was referring to in particular, she responded, “A bunch of wankers, it doesn’t matter. It’s not about selling your soul.” And then she went ape shit in the mic and the crowd ate it up.

So going back to where I began. Kate Nash is a real person. She’s probably the most talented pianist I’ll ever find myself in the same room as. She’s pretty, good hearted, a wonderful singer and has the best intentions at heart. I think once she realizes herself how great she is, she’ll cross that last bridge from recording artist to live blow-your-faceoff musician. She’s getting there, she just needs to see all the things we in Chicago caught a glimpse of last night and she’ll be blowing it up in no time.

Myspace: Kate Nash