Kim David Smith: Stargazing

Cabaret Scenes Magazine | October 13, 2015

Kim David Smith

Stargazing

Joe’s Pub, NYC, October 8, 2015

Reviewed by Ed Kurtzman for Cabaret Scenes

“Vibrant” was the word for Stargazing, Kim David Smith’s excellent new performance at Joe’s Pub. Entering and circling the room outfitted in a fitted tux, but shirtless and wearing black pumps with stiletto heels, Smith slowly made his way to the stage to open with Walter Marks’ “The Singer,” and leading into a most exciting “Can’t Get Padam Out of My Head.”

Smith used details about his personal life to incorporate several of the songs he performed. Mentioning his loving relationship with his husband, he sang an enchanting rendition of “Shooting Star,” (Erik Lidbom/Johan Emmoth/Charlie Mason). Playing on his Australian origins, his patter about his countrymate, Olivia Newton-John, and the song “Never Ever,” was followed by a wild rendition of her big hit, “Physical,” which had the crowd in the room jumping like kangaroos. Other personal admissions acknowledged that Smith had always loved Judy Garland (hello?), and James Bond as well, so he and his audience had a grand time with his renditions of “Octopussy,” and Garland’s mega-hit from Meet Me in St. Louis, “The Trolley Song” (Hugh Martin). And describing what he called his “Disney-ing youth,” Smith brought a new and slightly naughty attitude to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” leaving behind any thoughts of Julie Andrews.

One move brought gasps of surprise and then admiration from the audience. Smith turned to the rear, removed the tux jacket, and turned to face the audience, revealing a huge mirrored corset belt and a well-muscled upper bare body (working-out pays off, guys). It worked well with the following “Jonny, Wenn Du Geburtstag Hast” (Frederich Hollaendar)/”Erotica” (Madonna/Shep Pettibone/Anthony Shimkin) that had heads bopping to the heavy rock beat that was present in a number of the night’s songs. It was part of Smith’s brief musical visit to days of the Weimar Republic, including some Kurt Weill and Bertoldt Brecht, a dramatic rendition of “Song of Black Max,” as well as a nod to Marlene Dietrich with Hollaendar’s “Illusions” and “A Little Yearning,” complete with the addition of a black hat and a devilish smile, that were beautifully developed.

Kudos were due to the instrumentalists who supported him and the material so admirably: Tracy Stark on the piano, Raymond Sicam on cello, Kevin Garcia on drums, and Benjamin Ickies on the synthesizer and accordion. The show ended with “And the Times Are Dark and Fearful” (Hanns Eisler/Bertolt Brecht), concluding Smith’s impressive and “vibrant” evening of cabaret.

Tags: A Little Yearning, American Songbook, And the Times Are Dark and Fearful, Anthony Shimkin, Australian, Benjamin Ickies, Bertoldt Brecht, Broadway Musicals, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, Can’t Get Padam Out of My Head, Charlie Mason, Clubs, Composers, Disney, Ed Kurtzman, Erik Lidbom, Erotica, Frederich Hollaendar, Great American Songbook, Hanns Eisler, Hugh Martin, Illusions, James Bond, Joe’s Pub, Johan Emmoth, Jonny Wenn Du Geburtstag Hast, Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Kevin Garcia, Kim David Smith, Kurt Weill, lyricists, Madonna, Marlene Dietrich, Meet Me in St. Louis, Musicals, Never Ever, Nightclubs, NYC, Octopussy, Olivia Newton-John, Physical, Popular Song, Raymond Sicam, Revues, Shep Pettibone, Shooting Star, Show Tunes, Singers, Song of Black Max, Songbook, Standards, Stargazing, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!, Supper Clubs, The Singer, The Trolley Song, Tracy Stark, Venues, Vocalists, Walter Marks, Weimar Republic