Joanna Newsom - West Hollywood CA
Location: Troubadour
Author: Ana Mac Donald
Photography: Amy Cobden
Ask any Joanna Newsom fan how they got into her music and your will probably hear a similar story, “When I first heard it I thought what in the world is this! But after listening to it a few times, it becomes strangely addicting.” She is a modern day siren who attracted a sold-out audience at her only show in Los Angeles. The diverse crowd ranged from the large group of quricky, folk ridden UCLA students to some grey haired bearded wisemen in the back. Someone even brought a baby. Yes sir, it was a night of many firsts.
But before Newsom came on stage, Vetiver opened soothingly with the word “papa” as the L.A. audience's blood pressure seemed to drop. Part of San Francisco’s close knit musical community, Vetiver whirls together a violin, cello, and acoustic guitar to create hazy sun filtered melodies that transport you to a dew filled forrest and leave the taste of grass in your mouth. They go through their hushed numbers with a surprising calmness, especially after informing the audience of their van’s run in with a piece of highway metal causing them to arrive only 10 minutes before they got on stage. Andy Cabic, the guitarist and vocalist soothed the crowd with his earthy voice and lyrics. In no way was the performance monotone. The songs were all distinct and attentive. Then the music intensified, bringing out a guest drummer and quickening the tempo, even distorting their dreamy sound with their final number. The crowd showed their appreciation with applause and cheers, but the loudest hollers seemed to come from a darkened staircase where Newsom loudly hailed her good friends from Vetiver.
As her harp is brought out murmurs are heard in the crowd,
“ I wonder what she looks like?”
“ What do you think her normal voice sounds like? Do you think she actually speaks like that?”
This curiosity is quickly quenched as Joanna Newsom walks out onto the stage. She is striking. Jaws dropped. Forest nymphs have nothing on her.
Let me be quick to note that an artist’s physical features are unimportant and trivial in respect to the artist’s performance, but with all the mysticism surrounding the seemingly coy Newsom, it was a shock to see her come out looking like a gypsy queen with ruby lip gloss and a gold chain net atop her long hair. As she tuned her harp the excited chatter of the audience reached its peak as rock royalty, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs appeared in high style to watch from the balcony of this intensely small club. This was getting serious.
The clamor seemed too much as Newsom asked the audience if they could speak quietly as her tuner seemed not to be picking up the sound. The crowd quickly complied and as she finished and began her set she thanked us all graciously, “Your kindness will be remembered Los Angeles.” Although she also plays the harpsichord and piano on her album, her live performance is solely on the harp adding an interesting twist and contrast to what is heard on the album. For example the beloved, “Peach, Plum, Pear” which is a delicate and rhythmic number on the harpsichord became an intricate web of plucks and beats upon her harp. Her stare, wide eyed and animated, gazed all around with childlike expression as if she were a make-believe character telling me a story, and I completely fell into the fantasy of it all. Effortless on my part thanks to the mesmerizing motions of her hands and her voice full of awkward trembles and lovely nuances.
With no set list, she humbly asked the audience for requests and presented two new epic songs which seem to weave delicate tales dried crush petals and wispy rivers that entranced everyone in attendance. Even after clearly injuring her finger on her left-hand midway through the show, she still came out and rewarded all by playing “Inflammatory Writ” even though she warned she would probably mess it up. She did and without a flinch she continued the song to the delight of the crowd. It is undoubtedly settled. Joanna is a marvelous curiosity, an alluring songwriter and performer who will continue to entrance all who appreciate the strange and fantastic. She really is quite fey.
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Reader's Comments:
Ruby :: 00:37 Thursday 3 MarAna dear, the article was lovely! I like that you used my name without even thinking. (Or did you?) I only wish that I could have been there to experience it myself. How have I lived in San Francisco my whole life and not known about this woman?
Having said that, I think you really would like Bjork, and I insist that you buy either Debut or Homogenic to start out with. Her music is quite different from Joanna's but they have the same dynamic, the same 'magic' - for lack of a better word.