Hopscotch 2013 Night 3: Scout Niblett, Lonnie Holley, John Cale

Photos by Kevin Norris

In the small cube of Kennedy Theater, a half-seated, half-standing crowd witnessed the set of the festival from Scout Nibett.

Niblett’s It’s Up To Emma is a brutal album, but the songs reach unbelievable levels of intensity live when paired with her burning stare and ferocious vocal delivery. This was a performance felt in the gut.

Her performance was both terrifying and cathartic. Terrifying because her anger is so palpable it’s easy to believe she might act on her macabre thoughts. Cathartic because the brooding, sparse guitar builds into gargantuan drum hits and cleansing guitar solos. She played the audience perfectly building up the tension until it just had to burst.