Kate Nash explored her Irish roots at Martyrs

English singer Kate Marie Nash is exploring her Irish side of the family with her sixth album, Cailín. Releasing in January 2027 on feminist label Kill Rock Stars, she toured the record early in 2026 at Martyrs in Chicago on November 11.

The Windy City was the perfect place to showcase her heritage, as Chicago is home to the largest Irish-American population outside of Ireland.

While some ticketholders were seated at the front, it was mostly a standing-room, sold-out show in the intimate concert space. Following her two-piece band, who waited onstage, Nash entered from the green room door and sang acapella on the microphone as she slowly paced around the space, sometimes whispering greetings and instructions to the folks around her.

She wore a white dress and was styled in pigtail braids referencing the British army. The songwriter was ready for battle and had always danced to the beat of her own drum in the past, but this time she focused on the tin whistle. The talented performer plays the piano but chose to rock out with a backing guitarist and violinist this time out. Her Girl Gang had grown smaller, but the trio was still effective in conveying her classic tunes along with her latest work.

Her cover of Sinead O'Connor's “Famine” relayed the troubled history of her country with powerful lyrics. She sang the title track Cailín, which is Gaelic for “girl” and spoke of her dual nationality. The 39-year-old's father is from Dartford, England and her mum is from Dublin, Ireland.

Nash complimented the staff on their hospitality and she took lengthy breaks to vent on the microphone. The outspoken activist didn't shy away from hot topics such as the recent sentencing of Russell Brand in England and the recent blue wave in America.

Her charming accent and sly wit packed a punch that night at Martyrs. While she lost her train of thought at one point, she eventually got back on track with her banter. The crowd eagerly listened to her stories, occasionally yelling out supportive comments.

There were moments of solidarity and exuberance from longtime listeners when Nash tackled classics like the violin-featured track “Take Me to a Higher Plane” and the crisp lyrics of “Mouthwash.”

Several times she gestured with the Generation Alpha finger heart and explained that it is her latest obsession. Group hand clapping and guitar riffs introduced the song “GERM,” an acronym for Girl Exclusionary Regressive Misogynist. Spoken-word was used to rattle off facts about women being killed by men, not trans people, who are in danger themselves. As an ally, she spoke out against J.K. Rowling's TERF (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist) agenda and afterward a trans person thanked her vocally from the back of the room.

Nash was also vocal about Spotify not paying musicians correctly and the validity of sex work. She launched an OnlyFans account in 2024 that not only displayed her assets but gave her a place to vent about her life on the road. The Butts for Tour Buses Campaign showed her heart was in the right place to properly pay her band and crew.

This inspired a call for action at one point, where she encouraged onlookers to chant “create” as she strolled throughout the room. There were other singalong moments at the gathering, such as the stripped-down single “I Hate Seagulls” and her 2007 hit “Foundations.”

Nash and her band of merry women closed without leaving the stage for an encore of “Birds.”

Enthusiasts lined up at the front to purchase her reasonably priced merchandise while she met several die-hard fans in the back of the place before leaving for her next gig.

She has performed in Illinois many times over the years, including at music festivals Lilith Fair and Lollapalooza, but she has no plans to return to larger stadium tours in the United States. This was a unique chance to see her perform at a special, sometimes interactive, once-in-a-lifetime, in-your-face show in Chicago.

Follow her Emerald Isle concert journey at katenash.com.