Theresa Andersson heats up San Francisco with a little New Orleans pop and soul

January 13, 2009, at Hotel Utah Saloon

By Camille Ikalina Robles
Published: January 17th, 2009 | 9:55am

It was a warm night in San Francisco — and it was January. I was convinced I was living in a parallel universe and, somewhere nearby, the real me was still wrapped in a thick coat, scarf, and wool stockings, shivering at the bus stop. But I'm not one to question such sweet mercies, so I tried to wipe the confused, suspicious look off my face and just enjoy the show. When Theresa Andersson took the stage at the Hotel Utah Saloon, she was only two songs in when I figured she might have had something to do with the sudden change in the weather. The heat from her soulful pop songs could bathe Russia in summer sun all year long.

Barefoot and with only a tambourine, Andersson opened the set with a stomping, hair-raising a cappella version of the gospel classic “Mary Don’t You Weep.” Moving through whispery and soft moments, to soaring and bold vocal stylings that showed off her powerful range, the New Orleans–based Andersson used the intimate venue to her advantage. Concertgoers gathered around the small space, opting for seats on the floor near the foot of the stage when the venue was officially packed to capacity.

The stage was littered with instruments, including a guitar, violin, dulcimer, tambourine, xylophone, and percussion section, which left people wondering, “Where is everyone else?” It was then that Andersson introduced her band: the dozen or more pedals arranged on a bi-level rack at her feet. By recording and looping her voice and all the different instruments live, Andersson created the illusion of a full band as she worked her way through songs from her most recent release, Hummingbird, Go! (Basin Street).

The song “Na Na Na,” whose YouTube video has garnered more than 780,000 views, showed off Andersson’s dexterity and talent as she looped the drums, strummed the guitar, and played the dulcimer with the pedals at her feet. “Birds Fly Away” was the most energetic performance and definitely the crowd favorite: Andersson switched between guitar and violin throughout the song while a sample of the drum beat from Smokey Robinson’s “I Can’t Help It” played in the background. The song was breathtaking, for the crowd and, quite literally, for Andersson, who had to slow herself down for a moment with the light and airy number “The Waltz.”

The Sweden-born singer-songwriter paid homage to her roots in “Innan Du Gar,” which she sang in her native tongue. The song flourished with soaring musical sounds, which Andersson expressed as she moved about the stage in grand acts of flair and extravagant gestures.

The album, which was recorded in Andersson’s kitchen, lent an acoustic quality to the songs that she tried to maintain in her live performance. Looping her voice into Emma, who took up the bass section of the harmony, the twins Eva and Lisa who provided the “sha-la-la’s,” and the lovely Shalotta who sang lead and pulled all the vocals together, Andersson created a pretty four-part vocal harmony all by herself in “Introducing The Kitchenettes.”

Closing the set with a cover of Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” Andersson created a cascading loop of voices whose harmonies bounced against the walls and filled the venue. The crowd seemed truly impressed by the innovative musician, as many gathered around her after the show to talk and share their experiences. Andersson was truly humble, and seemed in awe herself of the size of the crowd that came to see her perform.

Andersson’s soulful voice, uncanny enthusiasm, and ability to make her solo performance feel like a 12-piece band makes her a captivating and mesmerizing performer. In the end, she makes me feel inspired and, maybe, just a little bit lazy, too.

For more photos from this show, visit Venus Zine's Flickr page.

Review of Theresa Andersson's Hummingbird, Go!
Theresa Andersson feature

Comments

Want to tell us what you think? Please click here to log in or just click here for quick comments

Jennydavis (over 3 years)
I saw her in Tucson. She is absolutely amazing live!! I talked to her after the show and she said it takes a few weeks to learn one song the way she performs.

Jennydavis (over 3 years)
Oh, and here's a video of her playing birds fly away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMXqn42AykM&feature=related