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August 03, 2006
In Lieu of Vomiting, A Review of Fiona Apple At Wolf-Trap
Just now I was snacking on left-over ratatouille and flipping through the channels on the new and fabulous hi-def television. Before I knew it, my gag reflex activated and I only narrowly averted throwing up all over myself. Yes, I had managed to stumble upon CSI during the 2 minutes where they do a CGI tour of the ubiquitous mangled body. Let me tell you, the corpse of an old man suffering from lead poisoning does not go well with roasted eggplant.
So now that I've put aside the ratatouille I will graciously provide a counterpoint to the Washington Post's review of Fiona Apple's concert at Wolf-Trap on Monday night.
(Ugh, the CSI autopsy guy just sawed the man's head in half and peeled the skin back to expose the brain. Yuck. And NOW they are holding his bloody brain and admiring the temporal lobe. Double yuck.)
But I digress. Mr. Foster of the Washington Post has quite harsh words for Ms. Apple, calling her performance "a set that was simply difficult to enjoy, her music sadly relegated to moody backdrop for personal catharsis." Ouch. I, for one, thought it was great. I liked the raw edge that is missing from her more polished (and yet still fabulous) Extraordinary Machine. Yeah, it was a little weird how she thrashed about on the stage, and how she didn't address the audience until well into the second hour. But who am I to complain? I left feeling very riot grrl, if you know what I mean.
And of course, spending hours in the sweltering summer heat with good friends and cheap rose wine was an added bonus. It's times like this that make me appreciate July in D.C.--sweat and all.
Comments
Although I greatly enjoyed the evening we spent at the Fiona concert, I would have enjoyed it more if she had cranked down the angst level a notch or too. You know how I love to sing along, and that is tough to do when she is changing the rhythem of the song and pounding her chest.
Posted by: La at August 3, 2006 09:15 AM
Ooh, I would have so loved to see La sing along while thrashing around and pounding her chest a la Fiona! I'm not sure I would have been allowed to stay in my privliged spot on Ms. WAS's blanket though, had I encouraged such a thing...
I also enjoyed the evening, warm and cosy with friends. I can see how one could have been disappointed if they were there to see the Fiona they had heard on the "Extraordinary Machine" album. They are definitely two different performances altogether. I enjoy them both, and was not disappointed with the concert, except that I was hoping to hear more of the new album. There is certainly a lack of good angsty growly girl music these days. Yet, I still like the old-timey big musical sound from the new album that didn't translate to the Wolf Trap stage. Clearly she needed a big travelling horn section.
And, I also hearted the cheap rose wine, which Ms. WAS failed to point out, only needed two thumbs in order to be opened!
Posted by: Red at August 3, 2006 11:35 AM
