Music: Kae Tempest

Stephanie Darkes feels the love for this inspiring artist at Exeter Phoenix on 25th June

It's a Wednesday evening in Exeter, and up the stairs into the Phoenix, the bar is alive with anticipation. It feels as though all of Exeter's queer community has turned out to see Kae Tempest.

I've been following them since the Kate days, drawn to their poetry and incisive commentary on the world around us. When I heard they were performing at the Phoenix, I was incredibly excited to get tickets. Patrick Cunningham, Exeter Phoenix's Director, explained that Kae was doing a Glastonbury warm-up, taking their new show on the road, and the press build-up around the new album and Kae's transition has been wonderful to watch unfold on social media.

The auditorium is packed—I've never seen it so busy. I'm told the gig sold out within 24 hours, a testament to the support and admiration for Kae. Onstage is Pops Roberts on keyboards, with a line displayed on the screen behind as Kae walks on to thunderous applause.

Patrick Cunningham says: "This was probably the fastest-selling show we've ever had, and the expectation was more than matched by the quality of the performance—so much power, love and emotion in the room, the like of which I haven't seen for many years."

Opening with No Prizes, a contemplative piece that focuses on life's process rather than its outcomes or rewards, the track delves into concepts of release, self-development, and life's recurring patterns, following three characters through their struggles and determination. It recognises both the inner and outer obstacles encountered along life's path, emphasising the value of persistence despite uncertainty about future rewards or recognition.

At Exeter Phoenix, Kae Tempest delivered a performance that reminded everyone why they remain one of Britain's most vital artists. With their self-titled album on the horizon, the evening felt like a moment of artistic consolidation from a creator who has spent over a decade blurring boundaries between music, poetry, and theatre. This is, after all, the same artist who earned two Mercury Prize nominations, claimed the Ted Hughes Award for Brand New Ancients at just 27, and added an Ivor Novello win in 2024 to an already formidable collection of accolades.

Factor in their trail of critically acclaimed albums, poetry collections, and plays—plus last year's revealing BBC Arena documentary Being Kae Tempest—and you're witnessing an artist who continues to redraw the lines between word and sound with each live performance.

Closing with George Michael's Freedom was a stroke of genius, and for me (a big George Michael fan), it was a rather emotional moment. Their joy, acceptance and ownership of their new incarnation was clearly evident and a joy to behold.

As someone who has always felt at home in my body, I can only imagine that it must feel amazing to finally feel like you belong in your body, and then to feel the love of a packed audience holding you in that space—telling you with their bodies, their movement, their dancing, their smiles, that they've got you and you're home.

Stephanie Darkes is Editor/Writer at Exploring Exeter.