Phish: Groovy

Phish

Greek Theater

Berkeley, CA

August 7, 2010

Phish: Groovy

There’s really no better atmosphere in popular music than in the audience at a Phish concert. There is simply no other place as groovy and jaunty filled with fun-loving, beautiful people. In honor of the show being at the Greek Theater, much of the audience decided to throw a Toga Party. Many fans (or phans) came wrapped in bed sheets wearing a Greek crown of Bay leaves, but you were just as likely to see young phans with painted faces wearing tie-dye and tossing glitter or dancing with an inflatable fish. I also saw a phan in a shark costume. OK, so everyone is white, but you’ll still not find a more accepting, open group anywhere. And when the music started, the entire crowd danced with complete abandon throwing beach balls and balloons. After the sun went down, the audience became even livelier. At times, almost on cue, dozens of handfuls of small six-inch rainbow colored glowsticks were thrown out over the crowd. The vibe is as close as you’ll find to the parking lot of a Grateful Dead show when they were at their peak. Unfortunately, the music is not quite as good.

Trey Anastasio may be one of the most talented guitarists around, but as I complained once before on MV&R, he is not a song-writer and that is painfully obvious at times. Still, with the excellent musicianship and the amazing crowd, it’s impossible not to have fun at a Phish show. Check out some clips here and here (go to 1:15 of this clip to see a glimpse of the glowstick war) and here (for 2001 (Thus Sprach Zarathustra) for the music highlight of the show)

Rush: Cool to be Uncool

Rush: Cool to be Uncool

Marcus Amphitheater, Summerfest

Milwaukee, WI

July 3, 2010

There are few bands that provoke as much of a love-hate response as Rush. It seems you either get it or you don’t. Try asking a fan why they like Rush. It’s inexplicable. Certainly, their critics have been equally as harsh as their fans have been adoring. Rolling Stone once characterized Rush fans as the “Trekkies” of rock. And to the extent that is true, I can’t help but admire fans that don’t care about popular taste or self-righteous critics and that are loyal to their heroes over many decades. And, like Star Trek, there is a kind of uncompromising earnestness in Rush songs that is both naïve and profound at the same time. It is no wonder that their greatest popularity is found largely in Canada and the US Midwest where being free from ambiguity or pretense is highly prized.

This summer, Rush is on their “Time Machine” tour where after an opening set, they return to play their classic album “Moving Pictures” in its entirety. Many fans, as well as some band members, consider this 1980 album to be the ultimate expression of the Rush sound. Of their 18 studio albums, Moving Pictures had the most commercial success with the AOR hits, “Tom Sawyer” and “Limelight.” It also contains “Camera Eye,” which was the highlight of their concert in Milwaukee.

The band began their Summerfest show with “Spirit of the Radio,” one of the best songs ever about the music/radio business and the struggle bands often face not to sell-out. Most of the songs in the first set were from the second half of Rush’s career that I had long ago dismissed, along with many of Rush’s early fans, but there were a couple songs that I really enjoyed and will have to revisit. This set also included the classic "Freewill."

The second set began with “Tom Sawyer” and a wonderful “Red Barchetta.” During “YYZ,” the lakefront fireworks display began and was partially visible stage-right for the next hour which added to the excitement of the show and the 4^th of July holiday atmosphere. After “Limelight,” came the 10-minute opus, “Camera Eye.” “Camera Eye” is a wonderful song that is one of my favorites but don’t ask me to explain why. The way the song patiently unfolds in multiple parts while staying unified thematically is masterful. It’s also nice that the song is about two of my favorite cities, New York and London. After “Moving Pictures,” the band also played crowd favorites, “Closer to the Heart” and “2112.”

Returning to Wisconsin to see Rush at Summerfest reminded me of simpler, less complicated times when music was the most important and exciting thing in my life. Those memories of my adolescence, backyard BBQs with brats and childhood crushes, are becoming more indistinct as I get older but it was wonderful to watch Rush near Lake Michigan on a warm summer night in July almost as if I had never left.

Massive Attack: Stickerpogy

Massive Attack
The Warfield
San Francisco
May 25, 2010

Massive Attack: Stickerpogy

Massive Attack may no longer be on the cutting edge of the eletronica/ trip hop music scene but they still know how to rock the house. It may seem a curious contradiction to claim that a trip-hop outfit “rocked” the house, especially when their most easily recognized song, “Teardrop,” (also the eerie theme song to the TV medical show “House”) sounds like an LSD-laced tantric-sex soundtrack. But, on Tuesday night at the Warfield in San Francisco, the MA weaved vaguely melodic snippets of music into wall-of-sound crescendos - kind of like an electronic version of a psychedelic jamband -that not only exposed much electronic music for what it really is (pointless computer noodling and looping) but was also great fun. In other words, Massive Attack knows how to do electronic music right.

However, there is a certain kind of pedantic quality to Massive Attack that was unfortunately revealed in the show staging. For much of the show, they forced the audience to wear their reading glasses, as nearly every song was accompanied by a Harper’s Index of Chomsky-esque bumper-stickerology sloganeering condemning the modern world (read: US imperialism) on the stage-long rows of LED lights behind the band. This came off as a bit self-righteous and left me rolling my eyes at times. Although the reception was good in San Francisco, one of the most liberal cities in the US, I can’t imagine that this show would be as well received in Arizona. (Good thing then that MA recently announced that they will boycott AZ) At times, the LED light production and the constant message flashes were used to good effect while other times it was overbearing and distracting.

The band had quite a lot of poise and stage presence and performed well and, on its own, the staging with the LED lights was also really well-done and effective. So, I am not certain why, even though the show was thoroughly enjoyable, part of me was a little disappointed that I had to read didactic messages for much of the night. I certainly didn’t leave feeling like I had wasted my time and money, but I also left feeling like the show could have been absolutely spectacular but was only great. Almost as if there were great, fresh ingredients and a brilliant recipe and instead of being blown away, I had a really nice meal. Maybe, that’s expecting too much.

The band was accompanied on stage by Martina Topley-Bird and reggae great, Jamaican Hoarce Mann. Both kept the show grounded as much as possible and it wouldn’t have been as good a night without them. Of course, seeing an electronica band in the electronic age, the YouTube already has plenty of clips of varying quality from the show. Check them out: here and here and here and here.

Jakob Dylan: JD And the Old Man

Jakob Dylan and Three Legs featuring Neko Case and Kelly Hogan

The Felice Brothers

Grand Regency Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

May 12, 2010

It’s got to be hard to grow up as the off-spring of a cultural and musical icon. There’s no possible way for Jakob Dylan to measure up against all the accomplishments of his father, Bob. Bob Dylan is a legend. In Time magazine’s list of the century’s most influential artists and entertainers, Bobby D was included next to James Joyce, TS Eliot, the Beatles, Picasso and Marlon Brando but more importantly, Bob is one of my personal faves. Not only did Jakob grow up in the shadow of this incomparable legacy, he also resembles his father a great deal so that when you see him sing, you can’t help but think of his father.

When listening to JD do his thing, part of me feels that I must be underestimating his music- which is quite good - because of the immediate connection in my mind to his father. But another part of me also feels that JD can do better. There is no question that JD is a very good songwriter, singer and performer, but despite how pleasant the music is, I feel there is a little bit of an adventurous spirit missing. Maybe there is some father/son psychological compulsion driving JD to play it safe knowing that he will always be compared to Bob. I can’t help but feel there is a timidness underlying his otherwise self-assured persona.

JD’s new album Women + Country is only his second solo album after a long stint with The Wallflowers. It is the kind of folky ambient roots collection of thoughtful yet optimistic tunes that critics frequently adore but can often wash over you too easily. They are tunes to chill by, which make them less like tunes to party to- as one might want to do at a live performance. This might also be part of the disconnect that I felt at the Regency Ballroom, that and a full stomach of fried Catfish from Farmer Bob’s. Although I mistakenly believed that Neko Case and Kelly Hogan would be performing separately, I don’t think I would have enjoyed the show as much without them singing in the Three Legs band. They added some very nice harmonies and the highlights of the show almost all involved their stepping into the spotlight– on “Three Marlenas,” “Sixth Avenue Heartache,” “Smile When You Call Me That,” and “Evil is Alive and Well.”

Playing before JD and TL feature NC and KH, was The Felice Brothers who were plenty adventurous, almost a little too much. Their music was kind of a cross between Tom Waits and the Grateful Dead which ended up sounding (ironically) a lot like Bob Dylan during his days with The Band. It is a very loose sound with beatnik lyrics that is really a lot of fun. Definitely a band that I will continue to follow. For a taste, check out “Run Chicken Run” or “Frankie’s Gun.”

Vampire Weekend: Playing it Safe

Vampire Weekend
Fox Theater
Oakland, CA
April 20, 2010

Vampire Weekend: Playing it Safe

I was greatly disappointed not to see one cape or pair of fake vampire fangs at the sold-out Vampire Weekend show at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Considering the Afro/preppy/new-wave sound of this bright and quirky band, I expected more sense of humor in the audience. Of course, I think I expected more from the band as well who seemed to play it all very safe. VW is currently considered one of the hippest things going, but I can’t help feeling like I’ve heard this Afro/preppy/new-wave sound before. The combination sounds rather like the tame pop music of the 1980s: ABC, Split Endz, The English Beat. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, a little mindless pop music is often a good time and VW does it quite well.

VW makes a quite a big deal about being influenced by African music and Paul Simon’s 1986 classic Graceland, which prominently features So. African musicians; VW also makes quite a big deal about the fact that the band members all met while attending Ivy-League Columbia University on New York’s Upper West Side (their music has been called Upper West Side Soweto, they also have been called the whitest band around). You would think the frequent references to Columbia would mean they are preppy ( they do wear the Oxfords and boat shoes) and brainy, but still, the music is quite accessible. In fact, it is their easy, laid-back attitude that makes their sound so much more appealing than bands who so desperately try to impress and grab your attention, like the Decemberists or Fleet Foxes, for example. However, I think the unassuming, clean-cut, clever, indie pop appeal of Vampire Weekend could also lead to their eventual fizzing and fading away. Three days on from the concert and my impressions of the show are already dissipating.

Playing it safe is good for summering in the Hamptons, sipping Sea Breezes while watching sailboats in the Sound. VW would be perfect for a day on the Cape, a jog on the shoreline, but personally, I prefer a bit more edge and bit more adventurous spirit in my indie rock. Hopefully, Vampire Weekend can build on the huge success of their first two albums by taking a few more risks. Otherwise, I fear they may end up a one-trick pony.

The Cave Singers: Religious Experience

Cave Singers
Duchess and Duke
Moondoggies
The Independent
San Francisco, CA
March 9, 2010

The Cave Singers: Religious Experience

This is now the fifth appearance for the Cave Singers on MV&R. Pretty soon, I am going to quit banging on about the awesomeness of this band and just keep them as my own secret musical source of redemption. Unfortunately, Tuesday night was perhaps their weakest performance of the shows I’ve attended, getting off to a stuttering start with sound and light problems and some bizarre heckling from the crowd. (“Tell us about your mother.” WTF?) In addition, there was a loud-talker standing just behind me- not very conducive to the quiet introspective music of TCS. I guess these are the growing pains of success as more people discover the band and this was the largest audience I’d seen yet for one of their shows. Things did kick into gear once they hit At the Cut. Then, they were destined to satisfy once again. One of the best shows I ever attended was Tom Waits in Seattle, WA when he opened with “Jesus Going to be Here Soon” thumping a handheld drum with a puff of dust as he stomped across the stage and proclaimed religious salvation is at hand. To listen to the Cave Singers is to be equally transported.

Opening for the Cave Singers, were the Duchess and the Duke, a folk singer duo that seemed out of time from the 1960s. And the Moondoggies, who have an awesome name, but who I missed because of an appointment with Tsuname Sushi a couple blocks away. To quote the Cave Singers, “Next time, next life down the road.”

San Francisco Symphony: Chamber Music

San Francisco Symphony

Chamber Music Series

Davies Symphony Hall

February 28, 2010

Mozart, Quartet in D minor

If you are a teenager on a sunny Sunday afternoon, a rarity in San Francisco this winter, there may be no better place to catch a quick cat-nap then when your parents are forcing you to enrich yourself at Davies Symphony Hall during the Mozart String Quartet in D minor. The lights had not been dimmed for more then 5 minutes when the teenagers in front of me were sacked out, precariously propped up against one another.

The playbill notes describe the first movement of the Quartet as conveying ‘general pathos’ and an ‘atmosphere of fatalism’ while the dense counterpoint, until the recapitulation, adds a ‘nervous edge’ until the ‘bitter end.’ A seemingly perfect piece for the angst ridden alienation of the lives of teenagers, but not at Davies Symphony Hall. Of course, I am no teenager and I have to confess that I did not quite appreciate the plummeting octave intervals or the later dense polyphonic minor-key forcefulness of the second movement as fully as I was hoping.

Although the talent of the string-players was world-class, the piece washed over me with out any deeper connection that I hope for from classical music other than to note some pretty melodies and a nice flourish of rhythmic plucking in the final movement that shook me from my classical music stupor.

Brahms Quintet in B minor for Clarinet and Strings, Opus 115

After the interval, the next group trotted out for a more rewarding performance of one of the most famous clarinet pieces. The full timbral effect of the clarinet plus strings was far more engaging and the lone wind instrument weaving amidst the strings was both beautiful and entrancing.

In the second movement, the interplay of the clarinet and first violin shared thematic duties adding a Gypsy-flavored flair which can be found in Brahms at times. I have often stated that I am not a fan of Brahms, but I think tastes change as you grow older. Although I still do not favor his vocal arrangements, I have a growing appreciation of his symphonic and chamber music efforts- though they still strike me as heavy-handed from time to time. But this was not the case with his Quintet in B minor.

The finale is a theme with five variations. The second is full of rhythmic displacement that I think is easy to appreciate for a modern audience accustomed to experimental rhythmic adventures frequently found in jazz and popular music. The fourth variation was written in a contrasting major key and leads beautifully to the final variation, a waltz before a coda which returns thematic material from the opening movement. Even the teenagers were able to pay attention. A serious piece, but a delightful performance, and well worth spending the afternoon indoors on a sunny day.

AFI/Muse and the Black Crowes: Abby Musing

AFI and Muse
Oakland Coliseum
Oakland, CA
December 11, 2009

Senior Correspondent Abby Gregory

There was a rather long lineup of acts at the 'Live 105 Not So Silent Night' show which included many up and coming bands such as 30 Seconds to Mars, Vampire Weekend, and Metric; yet, I was only able to see AFI (A Fire Inside) and headliners Muse. Why would I miss such a hot band as Vampire Weekend? Well, show tardiness is an inevitable outcome when you allow the drunks in the group to plan the public transportation logistics across the Bay from San Francisco to Oakland. In addition, after a few drinks, the necessity for a burrito-run in the Mission also assumed a certain misplaced priority, but you can’t reason with the inebriated. So, I arrived at the Oakland Coliseum just as AFI was coming on stage. Fortunately for me, AFI and headliner Muse made up for our late arrive with two amazing sets.

AFI formed in Ukiah, California in 1991 which is probably why I only recently discovered them in 2006 when they released Decemberunderground, but I have been a fan ever since. This album's first single "Miss Murder" was a huge hit and AFI finally began to receive some overdue recognition. AFI has a punk/alternative sound that has evolved quite a bit over their long lifetime. I have never seen AFI live, and was excited to see them perform. They put on a fantastic set, and included songs from their older albums as well as their new release, Crash Love.

Following AFI, Muse came on to a standing crowd. They performed all of their hits old and new, including a couple of my favorites, “Supermassive Black Hole” from Black Holes and Revelations and the new hit “Uprising” from The Resistance. I am also a recent fan of Muse, so was not familiar with much of their older work, but found their performance to be phenomenal. Their onstage presence was outstanding, they were able to connect with the large crowd and get everyone going, not a small feat when you're the sixth or seventh band of the night. Out of Devon, UK, Muse has been a critic’s darling which is no surprise since their sound is reminiscent of Radiohead. Their latest album, The Resistance, is the band’s fifth album and is truly a broad spectrum musical endeavor- rock with a symphonic overtone.

Both bands put on a great performance and it was totally worth seeing them in a large venue even as late as I arrived. I walked away a bigger fan than ever of both AFI and Muse.





The Black Crowes
The Fillmore
San Francisco, CA
December 6, 2009

The Black Crowes formed in 1984 and have had a regular rotation of band members since that time - with the exception of singer Chris Robinson and his brother guitarist Rich Robinson who are the creative forces in the band. They are heavily invested in 1970's Southern rock sound that makes me nostalgic for Led Zeppelin (the Crowes have previously toured with Jimmy Page) and the Allman Brothers, from whom they are direct descendants. The Crowes are big favorites in the jam band scene. I have been an intermittent fan of the Black Crowes since High School. Last year, I rediscovered them again with the release of their album Warpaint and after hearing their new album, Before the Frost….Until the Freeze, this past August, I decided that I really should see them live. They are well-known for long and enthusiastic performances and I could think of no better venue than the Fillmore in San Francisco for such an auspicious occasion.

Before the Black Crowes, Truth and Salvage Company opened the show. I enjoyed their set so much I actually purchased their CD. They also have a great 70's Southern rock sound, and turns out the album is a great listen. It is no real surprise that they opened for the Black Crowes since Chris Robinson produced their CD. They performed a great set, approximately 45 minutes long, and were a nice lead-in for the Crowes.

The Black Crowes walked on stage, and without fanfare, immediately launched into their set. While they played a great deal from the new album, Before the Frost…Until the Freeze, and a few songs from Warpaint, but they did not play as many songs from their older albums as I hoped. They played for approximately 2 hours with no chitchat, or gratuitous information, as some bands are wont to do these days. While an overall solid show, I think it could have used a little more “something.” It just seemed a bit lackluster given their history, reputation and musical capabilities. I am glad that I had the opportunity to see them at The Fillmore though, which served as a great backdrop. All in all, a pretty decent show.

Rickie Lee Jones: Bohemian Troubadour

Rickie Lee Jones

The Fillmore

San Francisco, CA

December 19, 2009

Rickie Lee Jones: Bohemian Troubadour

Who raised this banner/ that no one hears?/ The Jack beneath the axis/ Digging under the current/ Someone’s trying to get back/ But who’s qualified to retrieve the soul’s enduring song?/ from the grottoes of her eyes/ and the clashing of the stars

Throughout my college days, I had this quote from Rickie Lee Jones’ “Traces of the Western Slope” hanging on my dorm-room door. I have a long history with Rickie Lee Jones. I first heard Rickie Lee when I visited my alma mater, Lawrence University, as a high school senior. For a Midwestern boy raised on Journey, Styx and Rush, Rickie Lee Jones was a revelation. Her early days as a bohemian troubadour were far from the power chord ballads, new wave and bubblegum disco that typified FM radio in the Midwest during the 1970s and 1980s. She sang songs about down and out characters in bars and motels hustling in order to get by. Listening to her intelligent, poetic, melodic songs opened me to a musical world that I was only vaguely aware of and set me off down a road of lifetime musical exploration. I think most diehard music fans have had this kind of revelatory experience with some artist and for me it was listening to Rickie Lee Jones.

For most people, RLJ is known, mainly, if not entirely for the 1979 mega-hit “Chuck E’s in Love” which seems to provoke a love/hate response. A later hit, “It Must Be Love,” is less well-known but has appeared in more than a handful of movies and TV shows. However, for me, her second album Pirates will always be my favorite. It contains what I consider to be the greatest love song ever written, “We Belong Together,” and one of my all-time favorite songs, “Livin’ It Up.” RLJ went on to experiment less successfully with various musical styles in later albums, including jazz and trip-hop. But she still has a dedicated fanbase that comes out whenever she tours.

RLJ can be a bit of a mercurial performer. The first time I saw her was in Milwaukee in 1984 when she yelled at ushers from the stage for seating people after the show began. She also wore a short blouse and a sport coat over a pair of panty hose and nothing else. When she leaned over she mooned the whole audience. I was in the second row and had a close up view of, well, everything.

Last night at the Fillmore, RLJ's voice sounded better than it has in years. The crowd was very enthusiastic and she was clearly enjoying herself. The highlights included “Weasel and the White Boys,” a re-arranged “Livin’ It Up,” “Easy Money” (a nearly perfect example of story-telling song-craftmanship) and her cover of David Bowie’s “Rebel, Rebel.” She also did a fantastic version of “We Belong Together.” RLJ was joined on stage by a small ensemble that included bassist and San Francisco native Rob Wasserman, who has previously performed with Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Lou Reed, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello to name a few. He is perhaps one of the most talented bass players around and added the perfect touch for almost every song. It was a great evening of music and a reminder of why Rickie Lee has a special place in my heart.

Them Crooked Vultures: Don’t Call Them a Supergroup

Them Crooked Vultures
Fox Theater
Oakland, CA
November 19, 2009

Them Crooked Vultures: Don't Call Them a Supergroup


It's been a while since we have had to tolerate the popular formation of "supergroups." Oh, sure they never really went away entirely, but the numbers definitely seemed to dwindle after the 1990s. Perhaps artists were intimidated by the megasuccess, the super-success of Asia's 'Heat of the Moment.' Yet, in the past couple years, there seems to be a growing trend amongst the 'talented malcontents' of other more famous bands to form these groups, see e.g. Velvet Revolver, Chickenfoot, Monsters of Folk, etc. However, these names alone should readily indicate the struggle faced by these bands to capture their member's former glory. Supergroups have notoriously not been very super. And, unfortunately, Them Crooked Vultures is not an exception to the rule.

Supergroups tend to appeal to devoted music fans who know enough about the movement of their favorite musicians to keep track of who is playing with who. How many people can name the members of Nirvana not named Kurt Cobain? And how else can you explain a sold-out Fox Theater show for a band whose first album was released only this week?

TCV is comprised of Dave Grohl, former drummer of Nirvana and singer for the Foo Fighters; John Paul Jones, former bassist for Led Zeppelin; and Josh Holmes, former front-man for Queens of the Stone Age. With that kind of talent, you'd expect flashes of brilliance at the Fox Theater last night - which there definitely were, particularly when they played their album's first single, "New Fang" (which sounds oddly familiar to me). I also can't deny that Jones and Grohl are an amazing rhythm section and together, they can catch fire as they did during "Scumbag Blues." Unfortunately, the weak link in the band's superness is clearly Josh Holmes who was front and center for most of the show. His singing, while competent, is unremarkable and his guitar-playing lacks any real inventiveness or spark.

It is no surprise that TCV should sound like a mash of Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, but it is a surprise that the combination doesn't sound like any of those bands individually (if you get my meaning). This is probably a good thing for the classic-band status of those groups. TCV sounds like an updated 1970s hardrock outfit - a bit like what I would expect Slade or Foreigner to sound like if they formed in 2009. Need I say more? Although there were flashes of greatness, I think the band's determination to show just how hard they can rock undermined the final result. It was great to see John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl on stage as they are two under-recognized luminaries in rock history, but their own rock history demonstrates very clearly that they can do better.

Imogen Heap: Loopy

Imogen Heap
Zoe Keating
The Fillmore
San Francisco, CA
November 10, 2009

Imogen Heap: Loopy

Music today is undergoing a technology-driven revolution not only in the production and distribution of music but also in its creation and in its performance. For most consumers, the revolution is most keenly experienced in the distribution and consumption of music through iTunes and iPods. But, artists are also in the midst of a technology revolution in the creation and performance of music.

And for better or worse, Imogen Heap is in the middle of it. For those of you not in-the-know, Imogen Heap is sort of a cross between Sarah MacLachlan and Kate Bush. IH writes and records pensive, personal ballads about love-life tribulations with an experimental element. She loves sounds and embraces electronic effects in her songs, but she does not fall into the electronica music category of thumping dance music. However, she does use looping effects frequently or, perhaps, better to say constantly. Looping, for those not-in-the-know, involves feedback systems using digital delay devices to create repetitions of short musical motifs. These repetitions can remain limited to simple repeated phrases or can add up to a more complex texture which can constitute the melody of the song or might just be used as color, atmosphere or a rhythmic background.

For me, the problem with electronic music performance is that it is difficult to relate to. There were frequently no instruments being played at all as Imogen danced across the stage, swinging her arms, and singing to repetitions of musical snippets that played out on her computer. There is no denying that Imogen Heap can construct songs and is musically very knowledgeable and is a decent pianist but it can all get lost in the technical tricks. Part of me was left wondering is pushing a button to create a loop really a musical performance?

Before IH, Zoe Keating performed her own take on looping. Zoe is a Bay Area celloist that is a true artist. Her cello-playing interacted with loops of her own music that she created and controlled with foot pedals in real-time. It was both fascinating and revelatory. Her playing (and looping) was a real performance that was spell-binding. She lent artistic credibility to the electronic looping that IH did later. Fortunately for the audience, Zoe also came back for a handful of songs with IH. Still, her brief set was the highlight of the night.

A couple low-points from the show: Imogen is quite a good singer but has an annoying habit of singing very breathily when she wants to be really expressive. Rather unnecessary when she can sing so well. Also, her banter in between songs was more prattle than patter and often lasted longer than the songs which made me regret the end of the songs because I would have to wait 5 minutes for the next while she babbled on inanely. This became a true test of patience for the audience.

Nevertheless, Imogen is clearly an inventive and talented musician and song-writer. The show was also sold-out demonstrating IH is on the ascendancy, but I got the distinct impression that she has not realized her potential or created the masterpiece that lurks within her. I hope that she does.