Neko Case - 12 Jan 10 - City Recital Hall

After seeing Neko Case from afar, red hair streaming in the afternoon breeze, her clear-as-a-bell voice ringing out over the gathered crowd on a hot Sunday afternoon at Lollapalooza, I was itching to hear her again, this time in a more intimate setting, closer to home.


I came away pleased with the show, still completely infatuated with the sound of her voice, humming snatches of her songs all night long.

Let's get the bad out of the way first: yes, as noted in other reviews, there were some sound issues. For me, at times the four piece band threatened to overwhelm Neko Case's fantastic instrument of a voice, but luckily it never quite could subdue the beauty of it.

Obviously it was bothering others too; an audience member on the floor took advantage of a tuning lull to yell for the amps to be turned down.

"Lady, this is a rock show," Case shot back as she pulled her mane of flaming red hair into a messy bun. "You're in the wrong place."

The (inappropriate) request seemed to give Case a spark that diffused some of the rarified atmosphere stifling audience and performer alike in the City Recital Hall. For the first few songs the audience seemed to be at a much more formal show, afraid to voice their appreciation. Case herself seemed hesistant and subdued by the hall, bouncing on her toes before the mike every now and then nervily. She spoke very little, and often in a rushed stream that rendered the words inaudible. It was up to Kelly Hogan, her backup singer, to liven up the show with her endless stream of softly spoken quips and giggles.

But musically, it was bold from the get go, starting with the Americana twang of 'Things That Scare Me' (with some great banjo work), followed by another song from earlier in her career, 'Maybe Sparrow'. But as Case noted, tonight was almost the one year anniversary of the start of the tour for her 2009 album, Middle Cyclone, and the set was heavy with songs from that great album.

I was glad to hear all my favourites from Middle Cyclone, from the back-to-back pairing of 'The Pharoahs', the first time that night I felt Case's voice really break through the sound issues and just wrap its soaring spell around the audience, and the smoky 'Polar Nettles'; to 'Prison Girls' live, with its ominous, dark sound; and the closer to the main set 'This Tornado Loves You', thrumming with energy and longing, until its very end with Case and Hogan's voice harmonising fantastically on that heartbreaking last line, "What will make you believe me?"


We ran into Jess in the lobby, and she let me take a picture of the setlist she scored, and told me the changes, which was great because I hadn't been keeping notes for once! :)


Things That Scare Me
Maybe Sparrow
People Got A Lotta Nerve
Fever
Hold On, Hold On
I'm An Animal
Middle Cyclone
The Pharaohs
Polar Nettles
Deep Red Bells
Margaret Vs. Pauline
Prison Girls
The Tigers Have Spoken
Red Tide
Don't Forget Me
That Teenage Feeling
This Tornado Loves You

Vengeance Is Sleeping
Star Witness