5 replies to this topic

[Kajay]

http://www.popmatter...-back-to-black/

[Elecia]

Good Review. T4P

[ILLEGALL]

great review, and new, most seem to be the same one copied from else where, you know the one, that starts of describing her hair, eyemakeup, and 'bad behaviour'.

[Wino]

Thanks for posting that Kajay. Very good read.

[Kajay]

She is knocking em out over in the states! Get in there Amy girl!!

[quote][/q[quote]uote]

March 14, 2007[/quote]
Amy Winehouse/The Pipettes @ Bowery Ballroom
They said it wouldn't happen. They being me. Amy Winehouse got on a plane, came to New York, performed on Letterman, made it to the Bowery Ballroom and actually got on stage for a performance. She doesn't need rehab, she needs ReMax to get herself a new apartment with all the money she's going to earn.

All kidding aside, it could have gone either way, either a train wreck or a show that will have me talking for weeks. It's a show that I'll be talking about for weeks. Tonight, we saw the end of Amy Winehouse, obscure U.K. import and the beginning of Amy WInehouse, a recording artist to be reckoned with.

The setlist:

Addicted
Just Friends
Cherry
Back to Black
Wake Up Alone
Tear Dry
He Can Only Hold Her
Pumps
I'm No Good
Me and Mr. Jones
Rehab
Encore: Losing Game
Valerie
There's so much to admire about Amy. Flat out the girl can sing. Yes, she sounds like Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill wrapped up in a little British ball with big hair, big tattoos, big eyes, big heels and big, ummm, you know, ambition. When you boil down her music, it's not just throwback R&B and Soul -- there's a lot of early ska, 40's jazz, calypso and modern hip-hop/R&B. Her references read like a blueprint of modern music.

The two albums she put out display all her talents in full glory. What surprised me tonight is when I saw the 10 piece backing band -- that her live show is a different sounding entity then her produced album. Back in Black has a lot more attitude then her debut, Frank. This new one has the production stamp of Mark Ronson, so it has some processed beats, samples and vocal effects. The live show is much more raw with a live horn section and 2 back-up singers. I guess you can call them the Winettes. That elevated the show from just her performing songs to her creating a unique experience for the audience.

The whole show was just sheer fun. It was like an old school block party in Harlem when everyone comes out to have a good time. Amy doesn't have to do much to get the crowd into it. She's so talented and her voice so meaningful that she doesn't have to encourage the crowd to be more lively. If anything, she doesn't make much eye contact with the crowd -- preferring to stare at the floor. Gone are Ronson programming and in come top-of-the- ine musicianship and performance.

Between songs and sometimes within songs, she gulped down her jack and lemonade with pride like a true Jewish girl should. If anything, she seemed pretty shy on stage. She tried to crack a joke and loosen up, but she mostly grooved her way through her hour set. I'm thinking that the British tabloids have made her out to be a drunken nutter with diva tendencies. That's wrong. She repeated often how thankful she was for us showing her music love. Even when she messed up mid-song, she laughed it off.

So it's off to the big time for her, let's hope she gets some respect for her stellar album and performances.

[Wino]

I'm thinking that the British tabloids have made her out to be a drunken nutter with diva tendencies.

They do make her out to be a drunken nutter but NOT with diva tendencies.