Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Jamie Lidell at Highline Ballroom, 10/14/08


Now this is more like it. Jamie Lidell at the Highline Ballroom was a good recovery after a disappointing Beck concert. In a much smaller venue and lower overall production, it’s how I would imagine an early years Beck show to have looked like. The entire band was high energy, having a blast and visibly enjoyed playing with each other.

When I first heard a Lidell song, I thought it might have been off of some unearthed Motown era record. But no, it’s actually by some white, British dude. It’s amazing to hear touches of Al Green and Otis Redding in his performances. As a live experience, I was glad to find that these weren’t just studio effects. The guy definitely has the vocals and talent.

A surprising element was to hear Jamie launch into some beat-boxing and looping, adding a new dimension to his songs. It would be good to have more of this aspect in his albums.

Overall, it was an entertaining show that left me more impressed with Lidell’s musical abilities.


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