4/4/16
Pam found us tickets to a Brandy Clark show at The Main Stage in the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, a tiny 200 person venue. Pam has taken over getting us concert tickets ever since I took us to the Old 97’s show at the El Rey a while back. We left that show after five songs barely able to hear. And for the umpteenth time I am reminded just how glad I am that Pam is in charge of show selection. This show was a tune up for Brandy Clark before she appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres show later in the week.
We have seen Brandy Clark, a rising Country star, before, once when she opened for Jennifer Nettles at the Wiltern Theater and once when she opened for Alan Jackson at the Microsoft Theater. We became instant fans of hers at the Jennifer Nettles show, and not because she walked on stage clad in a miniskirt, boots and an acoustic guitar, though that didn’t hurt in my opinion. When it comes to music, I am a believer in less is more. Many times at small venues, the artist’s voices, and our ears, are overpowered by the drums and guitars. Not on this night.
The show opened with a set by The Deltaz, a Southern California duo who play a nice acoustic mix of country and blues using only a harmonica, djembo, which is probably the most beloved African hand drum, and an acoustic guitar. They played a great opening set, and as I am wont to do, I bought their CD and had a nice conversation with John Siegel, who sings and plays guitar.
After a short break, Brandy Clark came out, accompanied not by a miniskirt and boots, but by Miles Aubrey, who played acoustic guitar and sang with her. For those who do not know Brandy Clark, she has been better known as a songwriter than a performer, though that is changing. Her songwriting credits include, Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart” and the Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two.” She sang both of those and several songs from her first album and several from her soon to be released “Big Day in a Small Town” album. Pam and I loved them all. When we left we could not stop raving about the quality of the show and how much we enjoyed it. It was somewhat bittersweet, though because we will most likely never get the chance to see her in a venue like this again.
Brandy Clark has a clear, pleasant voice. She is easy to listen to and, to my amateur ear, is rarely off key. She is one of those artists who may be better live than recorded, which is always a treat when you are in the audience. What sets her apart though, are her lyrics. Off-beat is not a strong enough adjective. Quirkily funny may be better. Or depressingly accurate may be best. Her characters are heroes in a noir setting who may easily be overlooked in daily life, especially by someone like me who lives in the bubble of West Los Angeles.