Sarah and the Safe Word: A Night of Cabaret Rock at Beat Kitchen

^{Article by Natalie Silva}

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Sarah and the Safe Word is a self labeled cabaret rock band with a flair for the theatrical. Stopping at Beat Kitchen on their summer tour, Sarah and the Safe Word hit Chicago with some spooky vibes and killer songs to jazz up an otherwise ordinary Wednesday night. 

To set the tone for the main event, The Weekend Run Club took the stage. Right off the bat the crowd was engaged, with much of the audience having ties to this Chicago-based alternative pop rock band. With every song, The Weekend Run Club seemed to appeal to the audience just a little bit more. Cracking jokes about Empire State of Mind and performing a fantastic cover of Psycho Killer, the band made sure to cover all their bases. They tugged on heart strings by pulling a fan to the stage and having the whole room sit down while the band serenaded them. It was an endearing moment that was sandwiched between a whole lot of high energy rocking. Hits like “Holliday” and “Liar Liar (Pants on Fire)” generated the most buzz. Lead singer Mitchell Kinn’s voice had a hint of Julian Casablancas in it, leading the band’s overall sound to have a sense of familiarity to it. That being said, The Weekend Run Club is perfectly original and Chicago should keep an eye out for future shows in the city. With a seamless transition to the second half of the show, The Weekend Run Club brought out Sarah from Sarah and the Safe Word to collaborate on a song. It was the cherry on top, and the rest of the night was set up for success. 

Sarah and the Safe Word’s set was nothing short of magical. The band had their routine down to a T. With a series of adlibs and mini covers that caught the sporadic attention of the audience, Sarah and the Safe Word kept the crowd on their feet. As the name might suggest, the band made sure to create a safe space for every audience member. They constantly reassured the crowd that being a little bit weird was totally okay, and in fact encouraged. They played all of the fan favorites like “Sick on Seventh Street,” “You’re All Scotch, No Soda,” and “The Last Great Sweetheart of the Grand Electric Rodeo”. At one point Sarah directed the crowd to dance, making the whole room sway as she sang her heart out and filled the venue with her rich tone. Emotion laced every note. Many have described Sarah and the Safe Word’s sound as similar to that of early Panic! at the Disco, which could definitely be heard at points throughout the night. Eventually it was time for the show to come to and end, and Sarah prepared the audience for the encore. Even though the band was cracking jokes right up until the end of the set, when Sarah sang the last song of the night, she had tears brimming in her eyes. It was a touching moment as the die hard fans sang loud and proud alongside her. It not only revealed to her the power she has had on their lives, but alluded to the ever growing fan base of Sarah and the Safe Word. 

This concert was truly a gem, and Sarah was even generous enough to gift WLUW with some of their records. Make sure to check out Sarah and the Safe Word’s music here!