Joan Wasser (w/ Rufus Wainwright) @ The Living Room 1/26/06

Joan Wasser, appearing tonight as "Joan as Policewoman," managed to comfortably fill The Living Room on this, the third installment of her month long residency.  Joined by Rufus Wainwright for a song toward the end of her set, her performance was one that was geniunely engaging and, for the moments that Mr. Wainwright and Ms. Wasser traded melodies and harmonized, it was truly transcendent.

The other time I saw Joan perform her material was when she opened for Rufus at the Beacon Theater a few years back.  That night she didn't have the luxury of a backing band, and in that stripped context I was left with the impression that Joan was a gifted artist who was not making stylistic choices that resonated with me. Seeing her perform with a rhythm section tonight helped to dispel that impression and allows me to now endorse her (and her live show) to anyone that enjoys forward thinking and adventurous singer-songwriters.

Ms. Wasser is a formidable talent as a musician, and her performance this evening did her gifts full justice.  Beginning the evening at the keyboard for a few songs before moving to the guitar, Joan displayed her sophisticated chordal sensibility in the night's opening compositions.  Her versatile voice is as equally effective in hushed tones over delicately played arpeggios, as it is in cathartic roars over downbeat distorted guitar strums.  Bassist Rainy Orteca provided welcome texture, her lines allowing me to absorb the more realized versions of the sketches of songs I had heard a few years back at the Beacon.  Her efforts, in conjunction with drummer Ben Perowsky's high harmonies and deep pocket, provided Ms. Wasser's material with muscle I never realized it could have.  The backing band's enhancing ability was particularly evident in "Save Me," a stomp-groove song that I had remembered from her Beacon set and truly enjoyed tonight.

For the most part, Joan seemed comfortable with her audience and bantered effectively, getting laughs and keeping the crowd warm on this cold January evening.  She compalined about Judge Alito's pending confirmation (to which Rufus audibly chuckled and concurred) and declared "at least we have New York!" before proposing that we build a huge wall around the city's borders.  Throw in a song dedicated to Condi Rice and a confession of sexual desire for her band members, and the verdict on her stage demeanor tonight is an emphatic "relaxed."

For more review, more pics and more Rufus, click "Continue reading" below...

A few of Joan's songs deal with unrequited love, which struck me as more than a bit funny.  When a woman as beautiful and gifted as Ms. Wasser complains about "Christopher" and "Jonathan" and their lack of desire for her, well, either these guys don't exist or they need some sense shaken into them.  That aside, the melodies that carried these laments to my ears were touching and lovely, offering Joan an opportunity to employ her considerable vocal ability in a naked and accessible emotional context.

Ms. Wasser's material is at its best when it forsakes attempts to be intentionally quirky and obscure in chord movement and melody, in favor of more straight forward and emotive writing.  While I have high respect for Joan's ability to write songs that fall "outside the box," her idiosynchratic indulgences are not quite as interesting as her guest's, for example.  Her best material comes when she seems to focus more on simple ideas, for even in the execution of these concepts her considerable talent and unique aesthetic sensibility ensure that her writing will be anything but ordinary.  The scribbles on my napkin aren't the most reliable source, but I believe that a few songs that stood out in this respect were "Eternal Fire" and "Feel Like I'm Falling."  (I don't mean to suggest that her more challenging and obtuse songs are without merit, in fact I enjoy and respect them.  That Ms. Wasser takes chances is part of what makes her worthy of a sophisticated audience.  I simply mean to encourage those that are turned off by her writing in this vein, and to highlight the strength of her more accessible compositions.)

For all that Joan successfully did to win over the crowd (and convert the critics), the evening's highlight was (not surprisingly) when Rufus Wainwright took the stage to join her in a song that was, judging by his reading the lyrics, new to him.  Mr. Wainwright's presence in the room was known by then (that classic laugh) but it wasn't until he began singing that I fully realized just how lucky we were to have him there.  Rufus and Joan's comfort with each other as performers was immediately apparent and their voices sound gorgeous together.  Those moments when Rufus carried the melody and then moved back into a harmony on the chorus with Joan were simply undeniable. 

A cozy room on a chilly night with 50 people, one of your musical idols and an obscenely talented and beautiful singer songwriter.  Ah.  New York. Bless it.

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Comments

[Village Indian]

In the interest of disclosure, I am a HUGE Rufus Wainwright fan. I have gone to see him perform at least five times dating back to 2000, and have been amazed every time.

On the artist scale from 1-10, he goes up to 11. Seeing him last night was a thrill, and shaking his hand (and maintaing a modicum of composure) was, um, pretty great.

[Village Irishman]

I will attest to Joan's underwhelming performance at the Beacon. At the time, I chalked it up to lack of experience and perhaps trying too hard to be 'different'. Intriguing to hear that maybe that it was just the wrong setting... I'm interested to hear in this more flattering format.

[Village Indian]

Yes, Irishman, she's worth a visit. A remarkable talent-go see her next Thursday.

It's free. Now you can't beat that.

[patty]

great review and pictures! i couldn't get any good pictures from where I was sitting all the way in the back. But i was sitting right next to rufus and his friend so i can't complain. ;-)

rufus came up to me asking if there are seats available next to me and i didn't recognize him at first till he thanked me for moving my seat over so his friend can sit too. I agree with you about Rufus' laugh, so classic.

I first saw Joan opening for Joseph Arthur a couple years ago and thought the same thing. This is my 5th time seeing Joan and I like her more every time i do.

[Village Indian]

I can see how that would be the case Patty-she definitely grows on you as any truly worthwhile artist should.

If you were sitting near Rufus then I was sitting just a few chairs ahead of you.

A memorable evening, wouldn't you say?

[philhat]

I am so jealous that you got to see Joan in this setting w/ her band. I've seen Joan solo in Washington DC in 2004. She seemed more ackward and nervous, but still talented.

Re: your 'unrequited love songs' comment. Jeff Buckley's sudden death really did a number on her. Several of the songs are Joan trying to put it all behind her.

[philhat]

I am so jealous that you got to see Joan in this setting w/ her band. I've seen Joan solo in Washington DC in 2004. She seemed more ackward and nervous, but still talented.

Re: your 'unrequited love songs' comment. Jeff Buckley's sudden death really did a number on her. Several of the songs are Joan trying to put it all behind her.

[Village Indian]

I appreciate the comment philhat, and the attempt at elucidation. I thought about her connection to Jeff after the show (Grace is one of my top three albums, and he's probably my number 1 singular artist), and I scrambled to put her material in that context.

I definitely think you are right about many of her songs, but the ones I referred to she specifically introduced as being about other men. Jonathan, for instance, is an Israeli who ended their long distance relationship by telephone.

All of that said, I'm sure that the issues she is experiencing because of Jeff's passing manifest in her present relationships, and perhaps in that light her unrequited love for another is not such an impossibility...

It was a most memorable evening, and I encourage you to attend this Thursday if you are in town. Joan is coming into her own...

[philhat]

I didn't know about Jonathan being from Isreal. That does explian the mention in 'Real Life' doesn't it?

I know from one of her buddies that
'Eternal Flame' and 'The Beast' are about Jeff and the effect his 'legacy' has on her... trying not to be sucked underneath the wieght of it. Did she play either of those songs that night?

Unfortunatley, I won't get to the show. I live in the DC area and I'm in school with projects due and shit like that. I love your pictures and writing though, so I will definately check back.

Thanks PhilHat

[Village Indian]

She did play 'Eternal Flame' and it was one of the evening's most moving pieces. I appreciate the information, it brings new meaning to that song.

Thanks for the words and the contribution. There are some cool things in development that I can't really speak about right now. It's nice to have you along for the ride.

Cheers
VI

[adam]

thanks for the photos villageindian. i was on holiday in ny for the last two shows that joan did. greta bonus to see rufus and antony. have seen joan before in the uk so wandered down to the living room. glad i did!