Nellie McKay trumps her stage-mates at NYCLU benefit show
April 1, 2008, at Symphony Space
By Kristyn Pomranz
Published: April 1st, 2008 | 6:45pm
I confess I feel a twinge of guilt reviewing an NYCLU benefit concert — after all, the musicians are performing out of the goodness of their hearts to support a cause. However, the strokes of promotion ("Lucy Woodward's 'Hot and Bothered' is now available on iTunes!") prove that such performances aren't entirely selfless. So while I commend these performers for their acts of kindness, they're still fair game.
East Village alt-folk darling Rachael Sage opened the show, and though she tended to swallow her vocals, her peak-and-valley piano playing harkened an optimistic Tori Amos. Next up was Jenny Bruce, a statuesque multi-instrumentalist. Though her lyrics veered slightly new age, her burnished, yodel-friendly alto annulled any eye rolling.
Megan Fogarty's '70s aesthetic coupled political lyrics with warbled emotion, but her surplus of clichéd similes and metaphors detracted from her otherwise lovely Joni-Mitchell vibe. Fogarty then assumed backing vocals for Liana Stampur, whose Broadway-friendly soprano was effortless and beautifully groomed, but fish-floppy stage presence recalled a drunken aunt.
The sole male performer of the evening, Clinton Curtis, proved to be an Americana version of John Mayer, with the same natural charisma (and pinch of self-indulgence). And when Lucy Woodward took the stage, she beamed with the “I've got a secret” slink of a natural-born performer. Her bluesy pop infused elements of hiccupped scatting, and her spectacular vocal control and command of the stage made all of the previous acts look like amateurs.
With an unrivaled talent for combining instruments, vocals, comedy, and activism, headliner Nellie McKay proved the perfect NYCLU rep. Perched upon the piano with a wry, Seinfeldish smirk that suited her satirical songbook, McKay opened with her bourgeoisie send-up "Toto Dies," setting the mood for a night of good-humored authority-questioning. During "Testify," she employed the evening's openers to be her choral jury. While the performers sounded fine, they sullied the song by reading the lyrics off a cheat sheet. C'mon, ladies, aren't you all professional musicians? If you're going to reel in a force like Nellie McKay to headline your benefit and then have the honor of singing backup, at least have the respect to learn the lyrics by heart!
McKay peppered her banter with political jokes like "Spare me your pity applause just 'cause Hillary's not going to get the nomination." As if in homage, McKay then took center stage to perform her feminist spoof "Mother of Pearl" solo on ukulele. McKay deadpanned her way through lyrics like "Feminists don't have a sense of humor," and took a soft-shoe dance break.
McKay then returned to piano where she played "Identity Theft" and "Zombie" (again, with the chorus of women; again, with their lyric cheat sheets). When performing the latter B-movie anthem (complete with a chorus of brain-hungry "rahhr-rahhrs"), she giddily skewered politicians as she lounged reposed, her legs crossed beneath the baby grand. Even during her most ruthless attacks, she maintained her wit, yukking it up while fighting for justice. Indeed, Nellie McKay's set of politically powered alt-folk-pop made good on the benefit's goal of demonstrating "Music's role in preserving the First Amendment."
Issue #35
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