Post by bexface on Nov 15, 2003 18:20:44 GMT -5
It was only two hours drive away. I had missed Howie in Detroit a month ago but had wanted to go. He was great opening for you-know-who but how well would he translate well with a band?
Let's first put in a few good words for the opening acts. Toby Lightman was amazing. She (yes, she) plays a mean rhythm guitar and a stellar platinum-coated voice that goes over the top. Very beautiful and strong voice! Not to mention being a stunning blonde with a self-effacing and comfortable attitude towards the audience. Her accompanist added in some inspiring solos. She stopped to say that Mary J. Blige is someone she admired musically and then put out an amazing rendition of "Real Love." She was out signing CDs for her new single ("Devils and Angels," to be out generally in January) after her show so I went for one. This was her last night touring for Howie. She had been doing so since California and was now heading home to New York. Just wanted to say that if you get a chance to see her: Do So!!!
Matt Nathanson on guitar and his accompanist, Matt Rich, on cello also rocked. He (the first Matt) must have a decent following since many knew the words to the songs. Had a great monologue about guys who are friends with girls and that led him to write 3 CDs worth of relationship songs before realizing he'd better start writing something else! Had this great talent for instantly breaking out into imitations of popular singers and then going back to the song at hand. Goes to show the average age of the audience when I was the only one in the area who could sing along to "Staying Alive!" (YES! the Bee-Gees song!) And the other Matt did a great mime dance accompaniment. Another entertaining warm-up act! And the venue was very nice, a small (1000-plus?) but elegant, modernistic theatre, much like a smaller DeVos (Grand Rapids) or Stranahan (Toledo). With great acoustics.
It was a long wait for Howie after that. His band consists of bassist, keyboardist/guitarist, and drummer. As with his solo performances, he uses feedbacks and recorded loops to build a base to the music. Compared to being solo, not so much reliance on this but done tastefully, here and there throughout the concert. And his patented wails to emphasize the highpoint of the tunes. Yes, that's Howie for you.
Highlights for me: He and the keyboardist tacked on a alternative "twinkly" ending to "I'll Take You On." He introduced "Brace Yourself" by saying he sometimes calls it "Erase Yourself," something he had tried to do with chalk erasers back in school and ended up getting infected. (I think he might have said the same thing last year.)
The band had a much slower, laid-back ballad version of "Perfect Time of Day" to finish that song. All this time, the keyboardist went back and forth playing guitar until Howie walked up to the keyboards to play through "End of the Day" and "Ghost."
I had been wondering if he would go solo at some point and he did not disappoint by starting the encore, sans band, with "Sorry So Sorry." This version had different building layers of guitar, bass-line, and rhythm compared to a year ago but it was still the same song! Then he started "Come Lay Down" the same way, by laying down a few tracks before the band trotted back on to put out one more blast, topped with Howie wailing. After the last chorus, the band cut back and there were the opening loops that Howie had put down at the start.
Like I said before, he did do use effects throughout the concert but was careful not to overdo it and let the music speak for itself. This was a good performance and worth the two-hour drive each way, especially with the awesome opening acts. See him if you get the chance.
Morning After
Collide
I'll Take You On
Brace Yourself
Numbness for Sound
Perfect Time of Day
End of Our Days
Ghost
Secret
Sunday Morning Song
Trouble in Here
Madrigals
She Says
-----------
Sorry So Sorry
Come Lay Down
Bexface rating: 7.25 out of 10
Let's first put in a few good words for the opening acts. Toby Lightman was amazing. She (yes, she) plays a mean rhythm guitar and a stellar platinum-coated voice that goes over the top. Very beautiful and strong voice! Not to mention being a stunning blonde with a self-effacing and comfortable attitude towards the audience. Her accompanist added in some inspiring solos. She stopped to say that Mary J. Blige is someone she admired musically and then put out an amazing rendition of "Real Love." She was out signing CDs for her new single ("Devils and Angels," to be out generally in January) after her show so I went for one. This was her last night touring for Howie. She had been doing so since California and was now heading home to New York. Just wanted to say that if you get a chance to see her: Do So!!!
Matt Nathanson on guitar and his accompanist, Matt Rich, on cello also rocked. He (the first Matt) must have a decent following since many knew the words to the songs. Had a great monologue about guys who are friends with girls and that led him to write 3 CDs worth of relationship songs before realizing he'd better start writing something else! Had this great talent for instantly breaking out into imitations of popular singers and then going back to the song at hand. Goes to show the average age of the audience when I was the only one in the area who could sing along to "Staying Alive!" (YES! the Bee-Gees song!) And the other Matt did a great mime dance accompaniment. Another entertaining warm-up act! And the venue was very nice, a small (1000-plus?) but elegant, modernistic theatre, much like a smaller DeVos (Grand Rapids) or Stranahan (Toledo). With great acoustics.
It was a long wait for Howie after that. His band consists of bassist, keyboardist/guitarist, and drummer. As with his solo performances, he uses feedbacks and recorded loops to build a base to the music. Compared to being solo, not so much reliance on this but done tastefully, here and there throughout the concert. And his patented wails to emphasize the highpoint of the tunes. Yes, that's Howie for you.
Highlights for me: He and the keyboardist tacked on a alternative "twinkly" ending to "I'll Take You On." He introduced "Brace Yourself" by saying he sometimes calls it "Erase Yourself," something he had tried to do with chalk erasers back in school and ended up getting infected. (I think he might have said the same thing last year.)
The band had a much slower, laid-back ballad version of "Perfect Time of Day" to finish that song. All this time, the keyboardist went back and forth playing guitar until Howie walked up to the keyboards to play through "End of the Day" and "Ghost."
I had been wondering if he would go solo at some point and he did not disappoint by starting the encore, sans band, with "Sorry So Sorry." This version had different building layers of guitar, bass-line, and rhythm compared to a year ago but it was still the same song! Then he started "Come Lay Down" the same way, by laying down a few tracks before the band trotted back on to put out one more blast, topped with Howie wailing. After the last chorus, the band cut back and there were the opening loops that Howie had put down at the start.
Like I said before, he did do use effects throughout the concert but was careful not to overdo it and let the music speak for itself. This was a good performance and worth the two-hour drive each way, especially with the awesome opening acts. See him if you get the chance.
Morning After
Collide
I'll Take You On
Brace Yourself
Numbness for Sound
Perfect Time of Day
End of Our Days
Ghost
Secret
Sunday Morning Song
Trouble in Here
Madrigals
She Says
-----------
Sorry So Sorry
Come Lay Down
Bexface rating: 7.25 out of 10
