Lisa Loeb
Lisa Loeb
Café Carlyle, NYC, June 6, 2017
Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes
Lisa Loeb
Greenwich Village comes to the Café Carlyle. Folk-rock/singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb in the room that Bobby Short performed in for decades? Will it work? Well, it worked for me. Loeb is an upbeat performer with a charming sense of humor, whose songs, whether written for adults or children, have something to say. The material is not political, but they often carry a powerful message. Her pleasant sound, solid work on guitar, and excellent enunciation turn each song into a short story. Loeb nicely mixed four selections from the Great American Songbook with her originals, which included her #1 single “Stay (I Missed You),” which was the first ever #1 hit by an unsigned artist.
Loeb’s opening number, “Wishing Heart,” begins “No teacher to follow/no prophet to tell me how/but I know what I want/ and I want it now,” that set the stage for the rest of the performance. It was followed by a cheery children’s song, “Say Hello.” Her “Truthfully,” very upbeat, about what you say to a new love, was included in the soundtrack of the film One Fine Day. Remarking that it was her father’s favorite, she performed a soft and sweet version of Charlie Chaplin/John Turner/Geoffrey Parsons ’s “Smile.” “No Fairy Tale” tells how the ups and downs of life make life richer. Loeb, joined on stage by pianist Ted Baker, performed a soft and melodic “Dream a Little Dream of Me.” Alexis Michelle, star of the reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race, teamed with Loeb for a moving “The Rainbow Connection” to celebrate Gay Pride Month. The encore, after closing with “I Do,” was another of her originals, “The Disappointing Pancake,” inspired by her experiences at summer camp, that ended with a very strong moral message.
Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews, Regional
