Rickie Lee Jones Queens Hall Last Night

yep, I was in the rear stalls last night for a gig I've been looking forward to immensely.

Standout moments were many but for me the show was stolen by the young bass player who was a source of continual invention and interest throughout.

Frankly speaking, I found RLJ to be rather distant and uncommunicative in the beginning. It was 5 or 6 tracks in before she said anything to the audience. Playing the first song hiding behind the drums was also a strange opening.

But things got better and better as the set progressed and the second half was great, plenty of old favourites, tweaked to sound fresh. The clear rapport between RLJ and the youngsters in her band connected her to the audience finally. When you consider the great songs she DIDN'T play in the 2hr set you realise what a great repertoire the lady has.

All in all a very good show but could have been a really great one with a bit more interaction from RLJ.

Ian

Interesting Ian - Funny, we were near the front of stage and, yes, she didn't say much to begin with but there were glances and looks and smiles almost as if she was a bit shy and had to wait to read the audience before feeling comfortable.

The rapor with her players was superb - quite intimate and (on Chuck 'es In Love) quite funny. I liked the way they moved around the various instruments in the course of a song.

You are right about the bass player - astonishing talent - and nice to see her supporting a younger breed and not simply rehashing old tunes with some old luggers in a slick but uninventive way.

Graeme

I have a dvd of her on Swedish TV from March and she does have that rapour with the players.

I also have official copies of the 3 shows she played at the Le Poisson Rouge club last year when she was starting to explore her new ideas of how to play her old classics. Brilliant shows.

Unfortunately I couldn't go to the Edinburgh show but would have liked to have seen her again after 30 odd years.

I'd be terrified being on stage, many actors/singers never get over stage fright.