Kate Bush Releases Live Shows Compilation ‘Before the Dawn’

Brett Callwood

British songstress, Kate Bush was only 19 when she released the melodramatic “Wuthering Heights” hit single. That, of course, was only the beginning — she followed up with albums such as “The Kick Inside,” “Lionheart” and “The Sensual World.” Sometimes subdued, sometimes operatic, she has influenced a generation of artists, notably Tori Amos and Bjork. Comes now “Before the Dawn,” a two-and-a-half hour compilation of performances from 22 concerts she gave London fans in 2014.

The shows, filled with extravagant staging including puppets, choreography and video projections, were filmed and recorded with plans for eventual release; the film project has been abandoned for the moment, so Bushites will have to be content with the audio compilation.

The live album is split into three acts. Act I includes Bush classics such as “,Hounds of Love,” and “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” sound majestic, thanks in part to an enormous cast of personnel on stage with her, and get a new lease of life. The bulk of Act II is pulled from the “Ninth Wave” suite from 1985’s “Hounds of Love.” Bush has taken the opportunity to make a strong statement about how timeless her material is, even the non-hits. Act III is “A Sky of Honey,” from 2005’s “Aerial,” an album that was overlooked by many outside of her fan base, but deserves revisiting. She ends this act with a rousing rendition of the 1985 single “Cloudbursting.”

It’s a live album that’s packed with emotion. Bush is a known as homebody who does not tour because she does not enjoy it – and also will never get on an airplane due to insurmountable fear of flying – so has only performed live rarely. The “Before the Dawn” concerts were thus a significant moment in rock history, and this compilation becomes another one – and more enduring, as her music has turned out to be.

“Before the Dawn” is released Dec. 2 on CD, vinyl or download on iTunes via KateBush.com