09 September 2011 (gig)
03 October 2011
Joan Wasser whispered, moaned and screamed through her set with seemingly boundless musical vitality. Although with minimal staging, the concert, like most of her songs, was big on assured sensuality, her trio serving up hot buttered soul-inflected melodies with session-musician precision.
The opening track, 'Anyone', was a slow soul tune with stops, highlighting her luxuriant, smoky vocal style - just one of many she dialled in to suit her songs. The next track was faster (even than the recording) and her band stepped forward sonically - Tyler Wood playing Moog bass and lead synth simultaneously. When Joan picked up her guitar for 'Holiday', the tempo increased further and the bass intensified along with Parker Kindred's drum sound. White and lilac spotlights accented the dynamic shift and Joan ripped biting lines from her Telecaster as her lyrics threatened to 'throw you up against the hard white wall and make you mine'.
An intimate version of 'Flash' showed her vocal control - melisma wrapped her lyrics' romantic entreaties around the slow-pulsing melody as she played chiming arpeggios before leaning into the mic and breathing in rhythm. The climax to 'Run for Love' was thrilling: harmonies built to a processed, distorted lead vocal and intense twin organ freak-outs.
'The Magic' was given an irresistible funk rendering on the night. Other standouts were the swooningly tranq-ed doo wop of 'Start of My Heart' and the short, sweet country-tinged ballad 'The Ride', where her falsetto got squeals of delight from the audience. The closing encore 'Forever and a Year' seemed to play tricks with time: 'I found my dream but it's not you - you are my fantasy' sung with vibrato reminiscent of old collaborator Antony.
She also played new single 'Chemmie', but it seemed like touring had taken its toll - a sheen of slickness submerged the feel a little - but then she hit a distortion pedal, started screaming - and the whole thing exploded. It seemed to sum up the show - rock-solid professionalism to the point where you think she might be going MOR, but then she makes an unexpected turn and immediately sounds exciting again.
