Is it cliché to call Neko Case’s voice magical? Because that’s what it sounded like Friday night during a very special, intimate performance at the Edmonds Center for the Arts.
Wait a minute. Edmonds?
Yes, you read that right. Not Seattle, or Tacoma, or Everett even. Edmonds.
“I feel so cozy in Edmonds,” Case said to the crowd before beginning her mesmerizing 90-minute set.
Cozy is definitely an apt way to describe the evening. Her performance at the quaint 700-capacity theater in the sleepy seaside Seattle suburb came less than four months after performing at the much larger Paramount Theater. And the smaller size of the venue and location outside of a major metropolitan city gave the night a special feeling. It was a room that felt more likely to host a community theater performance than a concert by a critically acclaimed Grammy-nominated singer in her prime.
Touring in support of last year’s excellent “Neon Grey Midnight Green,” her voice and her band were both in fine form. The set began with “Bracing For Sunday” and included fan favorites such as “Deep Red Bells” and “Maybe Sparrow” as well as several selections from her latest record.
She was accompanied by a five-piece band, which included the highly underrated Jeff Fielder on guitar. The entire band sounded great, especially Adam Schatz on saxophone and keys, but Fielder deserves special recognition. His guitar never overpowered a song or took the spotlight away from the enchanting centerpiece that is Neko Case’s voice. It was always just enough, which is exactly what it needed to be.
The only hiccup during the 22-song set was the inclusion of “Tomboy Gold,” the second track off “Neon Grey Midnight Green.” Its beatnik spoken word vocals didn’t gel well with the rest of an otherwise well-constructed set.
The evening ended with a four-song encore, highlighted by a cover of The New Pornographers’ “Myriad Harbour.” Case, who is arguably better known for her solo work than her New Pornographers contributions, was joined on the song by fellow New Pornographer Dan Bejar (aka Destroyer) who opened the show with a 20-minute solo set.
Surprisingly, during a night dedicated to Case’s solo career it was the New Pornographers tune that got the biggest response from the crowd. Still, that didn’t diminish the quality of the evening as songs like “Magpie in the Morning” and “This Tornado Loves You” sounded especially stunning soaring through the room thanks to the venue’s excellent acoustics.
Although she now lives in Vermont, Case spent several years making a name for herself in Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. She made a brief reference to her time in the Pacific Northwest during her set.
“It always feels so special being here in the Pacific Northwest,” she said.
Someone in the crowd yelled back “It feels special for us too,” echoing a sentiment felt by all in attendance during what could only be described as a special night.
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