Sarah Kinsley’s vocals, filtered through a synthesizer, pulsed in and out, introducing “Truth of Pursuit,” the second track from her new EP, Fleeting. She stepped onstage with magnetic energy, dancing and immediately drawing the audience in.
This marked Kinsley’s fifth performance in Austin, now returning on her Fleeting tour following the album’s release in February. In her discography, Kinsley leans into the beauty of impermanence by embracing the present and celebrating that change is inevitable and nothing lasts forever. Throughout the 60-minute set, Kinsley moved between Escaper, her 2024 debut album, her 2023 EP, Ascension, and fan-favorite singles.
“We keep coming back for a reason,” Kinsley told the crowd. “It’s because you’re always so amazing to us, and we love it. Welcome to the Fleeting tour, I’m so, so happy you’re here.”
The set moved seamlessly from “Lovegod” to “Glint,” carrying an upbeat energy before the deeper weight of the night unfolded. Theo Munger drove the audience into “Realms” with his pounding drums. In “Sublime”, Sarah’s use of a contact microphone highlighted her distinctive artistry and experimentation.
Kinsley pulled the audience into the most heart-wrenching moment of the night during “The Giver.” She delivered lines like, “you’re really not like the rest” with a snarky edge that drew laughter. The emotion felt more raw than the original, as she filled the space between verses with trembling vocal cries. Her electric guitar cut through each beat, and the chorus — “Are you hungry for me baby?” — built gradually, ending with a gritty scream on the final “baby.”
A stretch of silence let the weight of the moment land. She then sat at the piano, moving into a quieter portion of the set and weaving between her older work and Fleeting with songs like “After All,” “I’m Not a Mountain,” “Reverie” and “Black Horse.” Her classical background came through as she serenaded the crowd, who sang softly without overpowering her.
Between songs, she reflected on her beginnings at South By Southwest in Austin.
“I really fell in love with music and performing when I was in Austin, so I have you guys to thank for that,” Kinsley said.
“Lonely Touch” and “Knights” broke through the somberness as guitarist Tim Watson delivered a twangy solo, backed tightly by the drums and Dea Milo’s steady bass. By the time Kinsley launched into “Oh No Darling!,” the crowd was fully back on their feet, jumping side to side in unison.
As the night came to an end, Kinsley returned to “The King,” one of her most iconic tracks. The song surged on TikTok in 2021, amassing over 20 million streams. The familiar piano riff opened like a dream, washing the crowd in nostalgia.
She closed with “Fleeting,” the EP’s defining theme and a fitting final moment. As she repeated the lyric “It’s not forever, it’s just for now,” the crowd echoed it back in unison. The lights dimmed, and the excitement at Mohawk became a fleeting memory, too.
