KT Tunstall and Martin Sexton Bring Their Solo Shows to Milwaukee’s Turner Hall

KT Tunstall and Martin Sexton appeared in Milwaukee on Friday, May 12, 2023, performing at the historic Turner Hall Ballroom. Presented as a co-billing, Tunstall explained early on in her set that she and Martin would switch up who performed first in their joint appearances.

KT Tunstall was born in Edinburgh, Scotland to a half-Chinese, half-Scottish mother and an Irish father. Raised in St Andrews, Scotland by her adoptive parents, she has been heavily into music during her entire life. Tunstall has released seven studio albums, with her first, Eye to the Telescope,” coming out in 2004. Her latest release is “Nut,” which was released in November 2022.

My first introduction to KT Tunstall came some time ago when my brother-in-law pulled up a series of YouTube videos with KT playing at Daryl Hall’s London home in 2008. Labeled “Live from Daryl’s House,” I encourage you to check them out! I was hooked while listening to what is perhaps KT’s signature song, “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree.”

Needless to say, I was very excited to learn that KT Tunstall was coming to Milwaukee.

First impressions are important and often lasting. The Turner Hall Ballroom is a pretty sizable place with a standing capacity of 500. For this show, however, the first floor was laid out cabaret style with the audience seated at tables across the floor. This immediately created an intimate vibe that wouldn’t exist with a normal standing-room-only crowd jostling for position.

KT Tunstall walked out to great applause from the audience. She instantly bonded with the crowd by expressing her appreciation for their presence and interspersing her songs with anecdotes about her life and experiences.

For first impressions—Think of the big sister you didn’t have. World-wise, a little sardonic, maybe a tad bit cynical (but always in a hilarious way), maybe to smack you upside the head when you’re full of yourself. But always there, always ready to cover your back and hand you a single malt Scotch! That’s KT Tunstall.

Tunstall opened her set with “Miniature Disasters” from her debut album. Starting with a guitar strum and a staccato looping track, the song traces the drive to overcome shortfalls and difficulties and forge one’s independent path.

Tunstall vocals are warm and friendly, with a bit of edginess as she slides through her lyrics. Her stylings instantly bring to mind the textured voices of women such as Norah Jones, Fiona Apple, and Melissa Etheridge.

In ”Another Place to Fall,” it feels like Tunstall’s voice weaves back and forth across the stage while wondering about the disregard or inattention of a significant other.

Tunstall is a master with her loop pedal, which she demonstrated and explained as an introduction to her next song. Creating a loop of a background of finger snaps, guitar thumps, and clicks with her tongue, she launched into “Dear Shadow.”

Next, Tunstall told her story of how she became interested in becoming a songwriter. She recalled her early experience of a record company asking her to join a band of Sephardic Jewish musicians singing in a Judeo-Spanish dialect called Ladino. From this, she learned she could perform without any idea what she was singing. She also learned that, through looping, she could create a realistic drum sound if she ‘beat the shit out’ of her guitar. That’s why her guitars are always black—to hide the damage!

Then, beginning her loop with her ‘woo-hoo,’ guitar thumping, and a kazoo track, she launched into her rollicking “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree.”

“All the Time” came up next—a sweet, poignant ballad showing Tunstall’s introspective side. She wrote the song while she performed on a cruise with Melissa Etheridge after Covid. An experience Tunstall described as inspiring due to her appearing with Etheridge, but also terrifying being on a floating “germ bank” so soon after the Covid lockdown.

Throughout her set, Tunstall continued to weave her tales, including the story of her tambourine that ‘walked away’ after an appearance in Port William, Scotland, only to reappear in a taxi the following morning after a return request on social media.

Tunstall performed a couple of covers toward the end of her set, including the Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian,” and a version of “Won’t Back Down,” that Tom Petty would have loved.

KT closed her set with “Suddenly I See,” a song from her very first album.

Bringing the show to a close for the evening, Tunstall invited Martin Sexton back on stage for a duo of “Bound for Glory.” A delightful way to end a great evening witnessing Tunstall and Sexton’s voices weaving together in a winsome ballad.

Martin Sexton—The traveling minstrel

Martin Sexton opened the show. As mentioned above, because he and Tunstall often switched up who performed first, perhaps there was a literal coin flip happening backstage before the show.

Sexton is an incredibly interesting guy. Wearing his pork pie hat, and looking a little rumpled, Sexton personifies the traveling minstrel, weaving his personal stories of hope and perseverance.

Also a prolific singer-songwriter, Sexton has released ten studio albums and several EPs over the past 30 years.

Sexton’s vocals are equally silky, bluesy, and dreamy, drawing comparisons with sultry jazz singers in a ‘40’s era lounge setting. Sexton’s vocal range is also impressive, as shown repeatedly during his set, including his falsetto on “Love Keeps Us Together.”

The lounge singer vibe came out in “Diggin Me,” which also had a few ska influences bouncing through the song.

Also a fan of the loop pedal, at times one would swear Sexton had a full drum set backing him up.

Sexton’s songs are incredibly personal and reflect his own journey. His most recent EP, 2020 Visions, was written during the Covid pandemic when he was hunkered down with his family. The experience was formative for him, both in deepening his family relationships and his love of life.

Sexton recalled for the audience his joy during the pandemic of building a tree house with his 12-year-old son. His song “Hold On,” was written in the tree house after it was completed.

Experiencing Martin Sexton for the first time was wonderful. His manner was self-deprecating but incredibly funny and personal. A highlight of his set was his description of playing new music for his wife. He was perhaps taken aback by her response that “it sounds nice but doesn’t the chorus sound like Bon Jovi?”

After admitting he would next play the same chord progression as sixty other songs, Sexton launched into an extended blended medley of U2’s “With or Without You,” “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show, Cheap Trick’s “Surrender,” Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” “Let it Be,” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” What a joy to experience!

Individually, Martin Sexton and KT Tunstall are wonderful performers. When sharing the billing and appearing together—they are a must-see experience!

KT Tunstall currently records with Blue Elan Records. Martin Sexton releases his music through his independent label, Kitchen Table Records.

For a list of KT Tunstall’s upcoming tour dates, visit her website: https://www.kttunstall.com/live/. Martin Sexton’s tour dates are available on his website: https://martinsexton.com/tour.

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KT Tunstall, Turner Hall, Milwaukee

May 12, 2023

Set List

Miniature Disasters

Another Place to Fall

Dear Shadow

Black Horse and a Cherry Tree

All the Time

Century Trail

Hold On

I Won’t Back Down (Tom Petty cover)

Suddenly I See