Fine Line Music Café, April 15, 2008

I know, I know, it seems like I'm always at the Fine Line. Shut up.

Tax Day 2008 turned out to be very pleasant weather-wise. Mostly sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 60. This is why there was a tinge of regret in my soul as we headed downtown to catch an early show featuring the rising Sara Bareilles. But all was well, because we grabbed sone Panchero's beforehand and ate while waiting outside for the doors to open.

Six o'clock, and the opener comes out. I've had pretty awful luck with opening acts since the Mandy Moore show back in like September, and tonight was no different: an atrocious chick-quartet called Raining Jane came out and channeled the Indigo Girls, dashing my hope of them being a Saving Jane clone. We suffered through about six of their songs; the highlights of their set were 1) a cello solo, 2) the surprise reveal that Rachael Yamagata was on the bill, and 3) when they left the stage. Oh, and in case you wanted to hear what the dumpy girls who didn't get asked to prom have been doing since you graduated high school, check out their album!

One bad thing about early weekday shows is that every act feels crammed in and constrained. Rachael came out about 15 minutes after the lesbians had torn down their equipment and wasted no time getting underway. She has a new record due soon, and is apparently using this tour as a vehicle for trying some of her new material out. Her performance was good but unremarkabkle, but was highlighted by an a cappella song that managed to silence even the activity in the smoking alley adjacent to the building.

Shortly before 8:00, Sara Bareilles came out. Touring in support of her major-label debut, Little Voice, she also had new material to show off. Honestly, I went into the concert expecting a Colbie Cailat-style experience, with unenthusiastic, by-the-book performances that were essentially the album played live, but Bareilles proved to be much more than that. She was engaging, had non-album stuff to play, and actually seemed to enjoy playing and mixing it up a bit. The last two songs she played were "Love Song" and, as an encore, a tune by Bonnie Raitt, and finished just a shade before nine.

Overall, the Bareilles/Yamagata show was a good time. One thing I didn't enjoy was one of the things that bugged me about the Cailat show: the crowd. Listen, I know it's an all-ages show, but really, if you have no idea how to act at a show, go to a free one to learn or stay the fuck home. And if you act like an ass at a show, don't get pissed if I mock you.

Coming next week: The ES.com Primer on Being a Good Concert-Goer

Labels: local, music, personal, review