pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

I got into Regina Spektor right around the time that Begin to Hope came out (thanks to my apple peeps Luc & Nic!).  I really haven’t had a chance to see her until now, as she played near me in Ohio right around the time I was moving to Oregon.  Her newest album, Far, is really good.  I’ve been “studying” it a lot this past week, and really dig just about every song.

The Roseland Theater show was sold out at least a week in advance.  Things didn’t work out to bring my wife, friends, back-ups of friends, couchsurfing hosts, or CS friends to the show… sigh.  Oh well, I sold my extra ticket out front.  Bah, no cameras again for this show.  I attempted to contact RS’s management, but got no response after a 3 week attempt.  Oh well… this is my major dissappointment with the Roseland: metal detectors, a fervid security staff, and the near impossibility to get my camera in without pre-approval… argh.

Anyway… on to the show…

The opener Jupiter One was really good.  I had only heard of them a few hours prior.  They are from New York and seemed to have that “NYC rock vibe.”  I’ve seen several bands (usually openers) who have “that vibe.”  Jupiter One were more impressive than most.  They are a four piece and were smushed to the left of Regina’s piano (which was oddly moved over after their set – which would have given J1 more room).  They had a nice groove, and played multiple instruments (violin, flute, etc) in addition to the traditional rock gear.  They only played for about a half of an hour, and didn’t really announce many of their song names.  I was looking out for one of them (“Platform Moon”), but I don’t know if they played it…

Regina went on a little after 9pm to immediate screams and applause.  She had a violinist and cellist (whose names I didn’t get) with her, and Matt Chamberlain was on the drum kit.  I’ve seen Matt many times with Tori Amos, and his self-titled solo album from 2005 on (Secret Chiefs 3 & Mr. Bungle) Trey Spruance’s label Web of Mimicry is the bomb – it’s quite a non-traditional “drummer solo album” (check it out).

The first half of Regina’s set was pretty bouncy and fun.  I think once it got to her solo acapella and definitely the guitar stuff, well, it wasn’t her strong suit if you ask me.  She played a lot from Far, but also mixed in some material from her older albums – especially at the encore…

Setlist: about an hour and 40 minutes

• The Calculation *a fave of the night*
• Eet
• Folding Chair *a fave of the night* (nice use of strings)
• Ode to Divorce
• Riot Gear *a fave of the night*
• Machine
• Laughing With *a fave of the night*
• One More Time With Feeling
• Two Birds
• Blue Lips
• On the Radio
• Dance Anthem of the 80s
• Silly Eye-Color Generalizations (acappella)
• Bobbin’ for Apples (Regina on guitar)
• That Time (Regina on guitar)
• Apres Moi *a fave of the night*
• Poor Little Rich Boy (Regina playing piano and a drum)
• Human of the Year
• Man of a Thousand Faces
• Encore: Samson *a fave of the night*
• Us *a fave of the night*
• Fidelity *a fave of the night*
• Hotel Song
• Love, You’re a Whore

I had a lot of fun, but I’m bummed some people who wanted to see it couldn’t for various reasons.  It was a sold out show; so if that’s any indictation, if she keeps touring, I’m sure she’ll be back through Portland.  She seemed to have a good stage presence and was more full of mirth than, say, Fiona Apple, yet more grounded than, say, Tori Amos.

The Appropriate Linkage:

• Regina Spektor’s Webpage
• Regina on MySpace
• Jupiter One’s Webpage
• Jupiter One on MySpace
• Roseland Theater

Check out more tour dates below.

~Dan – np: John Zorn – Femina

Remaining U.S. Tour Dates

• Mon 11/02/09 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum
• Tue 11/03/09 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
• Fri 11/06/09 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue
• Sat 11/07/09 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
• Tue 11/10/09 – Houston, TX – Verizon Wireless Theater
• Wed 11/11/09 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Bar-B-Q / Waller Creek Amph.
• Thu 11/12/09 – Grand Prairie, TX – Nokia Theatre At Grand Prairie
• Sat 11/14/09 – Kirksville, MO – Truman State University
• Mon 11/16/09 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
• Tue 11/17/09 – Asheville, NC – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
• Thu 11/19/09 – Louisville, KY – Louisville Palace Theatre