Kae Tempest + Première Partie : Jacob Alon

Kae Tempest at Transbordeur

At Transbordeur, we are delighted to welcome Kae Tempest for a powerful night of language, rhythm, and connection, with premiere partie Jacob Alon opening the evening. Our stage is built for artists who blur boundaries, and Kae’s practice—part rapper, part poet, wholly singular—thrives in a room that rewards dynamic delivery and intimate attention to detail. Their most recent album, The Line Is A Curve, has electrified audiences with tracks that move effortlessly between meditative spoken word and propulsive groove. Pieces like More Pressure, No Prizes, I Saw Light, and Salt Coast have become touchstones for a new chapter in their artistry, each one demanding space for breath and bass alike. We are preparing a sound and lighting environment that honors Kae’s ability to shift from a hushed confession to a driving chorus in a heartbeat, allowing the words to carry, the beats to bloom, and the crowd to feel each change in energy as if it were happening at their own pulse.

Artistic momentum and live presence

Kae Tempest arrives at Transbordeur with artistic momentum that is as literary as it is musical. The Line Is A Curve continues to resonate globally, not just for its studio finesse but for the way its songs transform in performance. More Pressure crackles with urgency and release; No Prizes glows with the vulnerability that first drew many listeners in; I Saw Light brings a fearless sense of perspective that lands with special force when delivered face-to-face; and Salt Coast offers a vivid sense of place that feels tailor‑made for collective listening. Longtime followers also know how earlier works such as Firesmoke and People’s Faces expand live—recited, rapped, and sung with that unmistakable cadence that sets Kae apart. We expect a set that moves between spoken interludes and beat‑driven passages, the kind of flow that lets a room breathe, react, and then surge forward together. Before Kae steps out, Jacob Alon sets the tone in premiere partie, a spotlight we are proud to offer as a showcase for distinctive songwriting and stagecraft that complements the headliner’s breadth and intensity.

As a venue, we shape each detail to meet the artist’s craft, and Kae Tempest’s craft is rooted in presence. Our production team is tuning the room for articulation—clear vocals that hold space for the grain of the voice, and a low end that supports, never smothers, the narrative. We know how Kae builds an arc, sometimes beginning with close‑miked quiet, then letting the drums and synths rise until the collective body of the audience is fully in the moment. Recent live arrangements of The Line Is A Curve material have shown how tracks like Priority Boredom, These Are the Days, and Grace can pivot from introspection to release with a single turn of phrase. Expect the words to land cleanly and the beats to move the floor, with sightlines that frame the performer’s gestures as part of the storytelling. This night at Transbordeur is about celebrating Kae’s evolving catalog—work that keeps gathering force and clarity—and about offering Lyon a performance where poetry, hip‑hop, and the shared electricity of a room meet on the same wavelength.