Holding out for that teenage feeling

On Monday night it was time to put my concert shoes back on (okay, that's a lie; I don't have concert shoes) for Neko Case at the Barrymore. The first and only time I saw her was also at the Barrymore, two years ago, so I was excited.

The night began with Jon Rauhouse and his band, bringing in Kelly Hogan on vocals for a few of the songs. I love Kelly, and somehow it hadn't penetrated my consciousness that she was on tour with Neko, so it was a very nice surprise. The opening set was great - Jon and the band were obviously enjoying themselves. The Perry Mason theme was a highlight, as were the Johnny Mercer tunes. (Well, one was "half" Johnny Mercer.)

After some fun girl-centric cartoon and projector work, Neko took the stage. The band started things off with "A Widow's Toast," which sounded lovely as Neko and Kelly's voices intertwined. The majority of the set was taken from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, which was fine by me. Some older favorites were also played, including the lovely "I Wish I Was the Moon Tonight," and Dylan's "Buckets of Rain." Kelly and Neko also had a running joke about how they're trying to conceive puppies, and Neko is going to carry them. (Kelly's dog Augie was chilling backstage.)

Each individual song was a strong performance, but the problem, for me, was that each song felt like a separate performance. The show just didn't seem to flow very well - between every song there was a break and near-silence while instruments were switched and tuned. Kelly, Jon, and Neko sometimes filled in with banter, but though it was very funny, it felt a little forced. My favorite song of the night was "Dirty Knife" - it was mesmerizing live. "Star Witness" was also lovely. I couldn't shake the feeling, though, that for some of the set I could have just been listening to my albums at home. Neko's voice soared flawlessly, but I found myself wishing for a flaw.

Last time I saw Neko, I was very impressed. Monday night, I was still impressed - it's hard not to be blown away by that voice - but I wasn't quite feeling it in the same way. Which is a shame, because I adore Neko's music. It was a good show, but it lacked that indefinable quality a great live show should have - a connection that wasn't fully made. Maybe it was an off night, or maybe I'm the only one who thought so. Either way, I look forward to seeing Neko again and having her change my mind.