Suzanne Vega, The Village, Dublin, 10th July 2010 Review

[b318isp]

The Sunday Times got it mostly wrong - "Californian alt-folk veteran" summarising one of New York's most famous daughters. Surely songs like Tom's Diner and New York Is A Woman would be a clue, and, if not, her steely sarcasm? That said, the description of being veteran may now apply - she is 51 next month - and it is hard to believe that 25 years have passed since her first album.

If the years are starting to show a little in her face, it certainly hasn’t changed her voice – it still has the waspish delicacy it had during her early years. She is no power house, but then it doesn’t need to be. There was no drum kit to overcome, just a simple line up of bass, electric and acoustic guitars, with some sampling/backing lines added occasionally.

That said, I felt somewhat disappointed with the small venue and turnout – I had assumed that she would attract a bigger audience for somewhere like the Olympia. The reality is that she has stuck to a very narrow style and when she speaks of branching out, it really only are minor excursions from a tried and tested format.

It is these harder tracks that don’t work so well during the gig. A sometimes over aggressive electric guitar (played by Dubliner Gerry Leonard on a PRS), using effects that sounded way more complex than necessary, which clashed with the trademark fingerstyle Taylor acoustic. The DNA version of Tom’s Diner just about got away with it in the finale. Its only when things kept to the basics did it all work out. Tracks like Luka, Marlene OTW, Small Blue Thing and Calypso (encore) sound great, quickly reminding the audience why they so good in the first place (she has been nominated for Grammy’s three times).

Perhaps because The Village was such an intimate venue, she spent a lot of time talking to the audience between tracks. For me, this was a very pleasant surprise as I feared she may have just threading the boards. She explained the background to a number of the tracks and seemed to enjoy sharing funny anecdotes with a touch of a New Yorker’s cynicism. It struck me that she has much real world experience (whether working as an Avon girl for two weeks and selling nothing, trying to teach children folk music and dancing, to her divorce and remarriage) that adds, well, an air of sassiness and sexiness to her.

Another pleasure for me was to see Mike Visceglia on bass live for the first time. He has stuck around Ms. Vega now for all of those 25 years. He has also worked with people like Al Green, JJ Cale, Joe Jackson and Phil Collins. He plays a 1962 Fender Jazz for those who need to know. Much of the setlist doesn’t tax him, but when he has a challenge, he really gets down to business, such as on Left of Centre. His rhythmic style suits the music and he, in effect, takes over role of keeping time for the band, also notably counting in a number of pieces.

As hinted, I wasn’t as impressed with Gerry Leonard. Perhaps it was a lack or rehearsals (however he has played on and off with Suzanne over the years), but I felt that some of his solo’s and overlays on PRS jarred with the whole style of the music. The fact that he hustles down at the side of the stage not facing the audience doesn’t help. He is a fine guitarist but his integration was poorly executed.

So all in all, it may have been another gig in the bag for her and a chance to plug her up and coming CD essays reworking familiar tracks, but the appreciative audience went home pleased with her humanness and those familiar ballads in their heads. 7/10.

Brendan Purcell

Notes: I’d recommend checking out the “Suzanne Vega Live in Montreux 2004” for a real feel of the music live: http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Vega-Live ... B000BC8SVU

Also, Mike Visceglia has released an interesting book on life from behind a bass guitar “A View from the Side”, a story that is rarely told: http://www.mikevisceglia.com/stuff.html

[Ivor]

As hinted, I wasn’t as impressed with Gerry Leonard.

I'm surprised at that. I wasn't at the gig (kicks self) but Gerry has always been a world class session musician. He lives in NY now and you need to book him well in advance if you want him to play on your album. I know he did (and probably still does) a lot of work with Bowie. As you say a lack or rehersal, and possibly communiction, is the most likely culprit.

If any of you remember the duo Hinterland and the single "Desert Boots and Duffle Coats" in pareticular that was Gerry. A fine single in itself but the guitar work was simply amazing

[Ivor]

and that was a nice review Brendan... thanks.

[b318isp]

Yeah, Gerry is a fine guitarist, I just didn't like how the guitar was used at the gig.