Neko Case
Date: July 8, 2005 Nights Out on the Town Neko Case helped the Ottawa Bluesfest get off to a fine start, headlining one of the side stages on the festival's first full evening. Bringing the Sadies along as her supporting unit, Neko delivered a set that was short on surprises but high on musicianship and fun. With Neko's voice as soaring as all outdoors, a pleasant summer night felt like the perfect setting in which to take in her music. She wasted little time in showcasing that voice, opening with a perfect rendition of "Favorite." That song set the tone for the evening, in many respects. To be sure, the precise musicianship and crisp sound found in the opener were maintained throughout the concert. Additionally, the fact that the show started with a song found on her last album, the live recording, The Tigers Have Spoken, was indicative of the setlist to follow. By the time that the concert was finished, every song from Tigers had been performed. In fact, the choice of songs closely matched that offered in my last Neko concert, a winter stop in Montreal. Although that overlap was understandable, given that this show was part of the same tour, the repetition marked a break from my past Neko concerts, each of which felt more distinct. Having said that, there's little cause for complaint in hearing great songs like "Blacklisted," "Rated X," and "Loretta"; and the set also included such older material as "Alone and Forsaken" and the haunting combination of favourites "Furnace Room Lullaby" and "Make Your Bed," the latter representing the earliest collaboration between Neko and the Sadies. For their part, the band was largely content to allow Neko to claim the spotlight on this night, although their impeccable playing certainly made a mark, be it the smoothness of "If You Knew" or the pulsing percussion embodying the titular "Train From Kansas City." While Dallas Good seemed rooted in place throughout the affair, his brother Travis did get a few raucous turns on the mic, including a duet of "This Little Light" that earned a strong reaction from the older Bluesfest crowd. Neko is always a charming presence on stage and this concert was no exception. Despite mistakenly referring to the event as the Folk Festival on more than one occasion, Neko kept the mood very fun with her self-deprecating humour. She also responded well after being coaxed back onto the stage after the swelling conclusion of "Look For Me (I'll Be Around)" seemed sure to have ended the night. Despite claims of being unprepared for a second encore, she never missed a step with "Wayfaring Stranger." With the Good brothers filling in the instrumental section in style, including Dallas de-tuning his guitar in mid-song, the final offering of the evening was a definite highlight. Even with the relative predictability of the setlist, the always reliable Neko Case and her fantastic supporting band, The Sadies, set the bar extremely high for what promises to be an excellent Bluesfest. <--Prev (Spoon) | Next (Broken Social Scene)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |