Show Review & Photos: Noah and the Whale @ the Neptune

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Noah and the Whale @ the Neptune, 11/17
Show Review & photos by Abby Williamson

Noah and the Whale brought me out to the Neptune for the second time in a week, and I am happy to say that I made it there on time. Several obstacles stood in my way, but I wasn’t about to miss this band after only seeing a short bit of their set at the Sasquatch Festival back in May.

I missed the opener, Nikki Lane, sad to say, as I walked in right when her last song was starting.

But Noah and the Whale did not disappoint. The crowd was young, but not too young to have known the band’s first album back in 2008. And I know that’s not that long ago, but with how many bands exist in this world, 2008 is light years away. And I am old.

The impeccably dressed band presented the show in three sections, however we were never actually told what the first section was.

“This next section is the romantic section,” lead singer Charlie Fink announced, before breaking into such songs as “Give a Little Love” and “Our Window.” Except in the middle of the section, Fink had to confess, “You know, I just realized that all of these songs are miserable, but calling it the romantic section was an easier sell, I think.” Then like a good novel, the band broke into the more lighthearted “dance” section as Fink called it, with songs like “Five Years Time” and “Tonight’s the Kind of Night” off their new album The Last Night on Earth, which is tremendously upbeat.

While the new songs are quite different and considerably more synthesizer-heavy, it’s a much happier way to end a show, especially when Fink let loose and took off his blazer and rolled up his sleeves. Another new song with a lot of heart was “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.” which is actually spelled out in the song. Normally I’m against the whole spelling things in songs, but this was incredibly charming.

For the encore, I was nothing short of moved. My favourite Noah and the Whale song is “First Days of Spring,” which is the most heartbreaking song I can think of at this very moment, and their live performance of it gave me goosebumps. After coming off a series of upbeat toe-tappers, to have a finale of the tension-filled ballad like “First Days of Spring,” it was perfect. Tom Hobden is a master of the fiddle, and paired with Fink’s understated delivery, the fiddle in this song made it so much more beautiful than it was on record because of the lovely acoustics of the Neptune Theater.

No wonder Jimi Hendrix played there.


Noah and the Whale

Show Review & Photos: Tony Bennett @ the Paramount

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Photos & Show Review: Tony Bennett (with Antonia Bennett) @ The Paramount, Seattle WA, 12/17/11
by Marianne Spellman

Let us begin with a short introductory tale, paraphrased. . .

Once upon a time, there were two men, meeting for the first time in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The first was a young man, aged 23, who longed for a professional career in music, past his current work as a singing waiter in a few Italian restaurants in his Queens neighborhood. The second man was exactly double the first man’s age, and was one of the most beloved and successful performers of all time. The second man listened to the first man sing, and judged him talented enough to earn a spot on his upcoming tour, an incredible opportunity. What followed was a conversation that went somewhat like this:

Second Man: So, kid. . . what’s your name? Whaddya go by?

First Man: Joe Bari.

Second Man: Joe Bari? Aw, no, that’s no good, too fake. Let’s think of something better. What’s your real name? What do we have to work with here?

First Man: Anthony Dominick Benedetto.

Second Man: Whoa! OK, that’s a mouthful. Hmm. . . but why not stick with something close? How about. . . Tony Bennett? Yeah?

First Man: Tony. . .Bennett!

And that is the true story of how Leslie Townes Hope – you might know him better by his stage name of Bob Hope – renamed young Benedetto, took him on the road with him, and within two years, Tony Bennett had his first #1 record, “Because of You.”

It would have been utterly unimaginable to either man then that over 60 years past their meeting, Tony Bennett would be standing onstage at Seattle’s beautiful Paramount Theater, still singing with the same instantly-recognizable voice to a thrilled capacity crowd. I almost hate to mention that Bennett is now 85 years old, because of the assumptions that come with judging anyone who has reached advanced years. Bennett is not “great for his age;” he is great on any measure for any age: pitch, power, presentation, all 100% on. In that he makes whatever difficulties age may have brought to him seem nonexistent for the time he spends onstage entertaining people, he is all the more a remarkable person.


Tony Bennett

Indeed, there was no slacking from Tony the entire evening. His Paramount performance delivered song after song after song, a wonderful range of material from American jazz, show, and classic pop standards (“The Way You Look Tonight,” “The Best Is Yet To Come,” “Maybe This Time, “I Got Rhythm”) to “the 1st pop-country crossover hit,” Hank Williams’ “Cold, Cold Heart,” to some Christmas cheer (“White Christmas”). There were so many songs I honestly lost count, but no doubt some of the biggest cheers of the night went to Bennett’s signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” first released in 1962.

Backed by a quartet of stellar sidemen (Gary Sargent on hollow-body electric guitar, Marshall Wood on stand-up bass, Lee Musiker on grand piano, and “Count Basie’s favorite drummer,” Harold Jones), Bennett’s warm and gracious manner further endeared him to the crowd. He very often just stood and beamed at the audience, shaking his head slightly in some disbelief at the boisterous cheers and claps and several standing ovations that enthusiastically came his way. “We love you, Tony!” called out one woman, to more claps and cheers, and Bennett acknowledged her with a nod, an even-bigger smile, and a “Thank you!”


Tony Bennett

Without a doubt, the highlight of the night for me (and, I think, surely many others) came near the end of the night. Bennett had been speaking of how lovely the theater was, how “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore,” and encouraged us all to support the Paramount. He continued, “If it’s OK with my soundman, I’d like to show you how special this building is, what it was designed for.” Bennett then waved at the soundboard at the back of the hall and requested that all the microphones and the PA system be shut off. Sargent quietly stepped up with his guitar alongside Bennett, who then gifted the hall with a textbook demonstration of both fine acoustical design and amazing vocal talent as he sang “Fly Me To The Moon,” with no amplification whatsoever. “Wow. . .wow. . .” I heard one woman speak to herself, and others in the crowd gasped as Bennett took the song’s soaring melody and delivered it beautifully, even to the very back rows of the upper balcony.

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Show Review: Prince @ the Tacoma Dome

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Prince @ the Tacoma Dome
Review by Dagmar

Whatever Prince’s health regimen is, it really works for him. Yes he is blessed with a sleek and flexible physique, captivating dance moves, and extraordinary musical prowess. But he’s also a total powerhouse. He must work at that. All of this, plus a full accompanying band, including three barefoot female backup singers in caftans, bewitched an audience at Tacoma Dome last night.

The stage, placed in the middle of the dome, was in the shape of the Love Symbol; you know . . . that symbol. After two apparent false starts where lights went on, the audience went wild, nothing happened, then Prince appeared in a black and white ensemble (one pant leg white, the other black with matching heels) and tore into “Let’s Go Crazy.” What he proceeded to unleash was a joyful and sexy collection of songs, including “Delirious,” “1999,” “Take Me With U,” “Cream” and a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Before “Little Red Corvette,” Prince asked, “Are you ready for me?” and the audience again became way excited. An artist would want this audience every night. They knew the songs, knew the words, and jumped up and down to make the seats rattle.


Prince

During a red-lit bathed stage for “Little Red Corvette,” Prince writhed around on a piano top. For “Cream,” he danced and stated, “I wish I had a bigger bootie.” Also after singing the line “Everything you do is success,” he added, “I wrote this song when I was looking in the mirror.” As a performer he’s got a cheeky humor and a bouncy sexiness. His dancing after the song “Kiss” was just perfect.


Purple confetti drop during “Purple Rain” – cell phone photo by Dagmar

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Photos: Florence + the Machine at KMTT Winter Warmth Concert

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And the headliner at KMTT’s Winter Warmth Concert was Florence + the Machine. This woman is quite the performer – a siren on stage. She has an eerie, unique, captivating way of performing and mesmerizing. She literally twirled, jumped and danced her way around the stage (while singing) during the entire show and invited the audience to do so during “Dog Days Are Over.” Florence Welch’s voice was gripping, rich, soulful, eerie and soothing all at the same time. I’ve shot 100+ shows this year and this one was truly a standout – from her music and delivery to the stage and dramatic lighting.

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Photos: The Head and The Heart at KMTT Winter Warmth Concert

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Next up at KMTT’s Winter Warmth Concert were Seattle’s very own The Head and the Heart. The six-member group features Jonathan Russell (guitar, vocals), Josiah Johnson (guitar, vocals), Charity Rose Thielen (violin, vocals), Kenny Hensley (keys), Chris Zasche (bass) and Tyler Williams (drums). Only two years ago they were singing at open mic nights in Seattle bars and their popularity has skyrocketed since. They released their album on Sub Pop Records last year and toured Europe over the summer.