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Kate Voegele Leaves Vancouver in ‘A Fine Mess’
by Nadya Vlassoff
 It
was a small venue for a rising musical star as
22-year old Kate Voegele took the intimate stage
at The Media Club on Friday June 12, 2009 in Vancouver,
BC. Fans lined up early, waiting to vie for the
best spots close to the stage to see their favourite
musical talent. There was a bit of pushing and
shoving as the surprisingly diverse crowd came
together to greet the petite Voegele as she graced
the tiny stage. Having just released her sophomore
album, “A Fine Mess,” in May 2009, Kate Voegele
is currently wrapping up a 26-date tour, with
her first appearance in Vancouver since her recording
career began.
Off the stage, Kate Voegele shot to stardom from her role on The CW’s long-running teen drama One Tree Hill. It was her role as the shy, albeit talented Mia Catalano in the sixth season that catapulted Voegele to a much broader range of fame than she could have ever imagined than simply from her MySpace page alone. The success of One Tree Hill may be a reason why Voegele’s audience ranged from couples and friends to parents who watched and waited with their grown up children for Voegele’s entrance. Due to the Media Club’s lack of square footage, half the fun was wondering where Kate would appear from to start the show. Amid a dimly lit crowd, a crewmember’s light flickered and flashed as Voegele and her band rushed onstage through the intimate sea of awaiting fans.
After a brief introduction over the now excitedly vocal crowd, Voegele began the first strums of “99 Times,” one of the first singles from the Mike Elizondo (Maroon 5, Natasha Bedingfield) produced "A Fine Mess". Those who were unfamiliar with "99 Times" (that was not featured on OTH) quickly caught on to the chords, which were amplified by Voegele’s conviction in her lyrics. Given the intimacy of The Media Club and the tone of “99 Times,” it there was a personal quality that felt like it could have easily been the back of her tour bus during a jam session, as Voegele lost herself in her passionate musicality only to pull the crowd along with her at the very last second.
 In
between songs, Voegele spoke about her instant
love for Vancouver and its sheer beauty. The
same could be said for the appreciative crowd
that responded energetically, hooting and hollering,
at the mention of Voegele’s stint on One Tree
Hill. Smiling knowingly, Voegele enchanted the
crowd with her personal stage presence each
time she introduced a song. Fan favourites such
as “Kindly Unspoken”, “Wish You Were” and “Chicago”
floated through the venue, each eliciting reciprocal
devotion as fans began to loosen up and sway,
clapping along to “Who You are Without,” a song
aptly named for when breaking up is hard to
do, but only for one person in the relationship.
Murmurs twittered through the crowd as many wondered if Voegele would sing one of her most memorable songs from One Tree Hill, a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” At the urging of one particularly animated fan, Voegele didn’t disappoint. Although Cohen’s now classic song has meant many thing to a variety of artists who put their stamp on “Hallelujah,” for Kate Voegele it was about revelling in her moment, acoustically, bathed in a spotlight of ethereal scope. Voegele took the simplicity of Cohen’s lyrics and a down tempo melody to bring bottled emotions to the surface in her own unique and contemporary way.
 Watching
Voegele’s performance of “Hallelujah” was enough
of an answer to the question of why so many
artists relate to the song. As Kate looked down,
almost as if in a private moment, she delicately
strummed her guitar while her voice gained certainty
and soothing sincerity, slowly lifting her head
to end on a prolonged “Hallelujah.” It was a
moment of musical maturity that went beyond
the perceptions from her One Tree Hill persona.
Wrapping up her hour and a half set, Kate Voegele finished with her first single, “Only Fooling Myself.” The crowd soaked it in, basking in the final moments to keep themselves on “Top of the World”. Thanking her fans, Voegele left the stage almost as quickly as she first appeared, possibly to avoid the appreciative mob that was ready to descend upon her small frame.
It was a solid, personal and passionate live performance from Kate Voegele. Interestingly, although most times fans love to see their favourite artists up close and personal, if only Kate had been given a bigger venue with proper ventilation and breathing room, the night would have been organically balanced in terms of space. The “Sweet Silver Lining,” however, was walking out of The Media Club knowing that Kate left Vancouver in a fine musical mess and that Voegele is equally as good, if not better live than in the studio. Live or in the studio, Kate Voegele is anything but a one tree musical hill.
Kate Voegele Set List: Vancouver – The Media Club, June 12, 2009
 1.
99 Times
2. Playing With My Heart
3. Wish You Were
4. Sweet Silver Lining
5. Chicago
6. It’s only Life
7. Say Anything
8. Lift Me Up
9. Angel
10. Inside Out
11. Who You Are Without
12. Kindly Unspoken
13. Hallelujah
14. Manhattan Over the Sky
15. Only Fooling Myself
For more on "A Fine Mess", check out the Kate Voegele album page.
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