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Feist lives up to name, plays Orpheum despite sprain
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Not even a sprained ankle could keep Leslie Feist from entertaining her beloved audience.
This was made evident by her Friday night performance at the Orpheum Theatre. Despite being confined to a chair for the majority of the concert, the Canadian songstress filled the massive expanse of Madison's favorite concert venue with her unfaltering vocals, personable nature and theatrical visual effects.
Opening for Feist was fellow former Broken Social Scene guitarist Jason Collett.
Exhibiting vocals reminiscent of Sondre Lerche and sporting flannel worthy of the North Woods, Collett spent the evening spinning out Ryan Adams infused tunes interspersed with tales about high school crushes. Unfortunately, Collett's music seemed more appropriate as background music for a coffee shop than the expansive space of the Orpheum. Although songs like "Tinsel and Stardust" provided evidence of Collett's musical ability, his stage demeanor lacked a certain edge, making each song sound like the one before.
But, for everything Collett lacked in charisma and originality, main act Leslie Feist made up for with her professional and captivating performance. Opening with "When I Was a Young Girl," she immediately impressed the audience with her innovative take on the track from her 2004 album Let It Die.
Innovation was a consistent element throughout the show, as each song was a better, more exciting version of the tracks that appeared on her albums. Feist sped up the tempo of the normally lullaby-like "Now At Last," by including a tap dancer to complement the jaunty pace of the updated track.
Again, Feist managed to make the show a personal experience, despite the vast size of the venue, by having audience members contribute to the music. Lighters were requested for "Inside and Out," while she had earlier designated each section of the audience to hold a certain pitch, creating a harmony that led into "My Moon, My Man" from her latest album The Reminder.
Feist held the audience's attention during the show through creative visuals displayed on a projector behind the band. Shadows, silhouettes, scenic backgrounds and simple colored lights enhanced the already artistic atmosphere. The elements of originality, audience involvement and theatrical nuances were all effectively intertwined during Feist's rendition of hit song "One, Two, Three, Four" from The Reminder. A young girl, Feist's "stunt double," played the tambourine dressed in the same sparkly, blue jumpsuit Feist wears in the popular music video, and a disco ball spread light throughout all sections of the venue. Audience members were asked to keep the song's underlying vocal riff as Feist filled the concert hall with her enchanting voice and unbeatable energy, all while sitting in a small chair in the center of the stage.
Feist wrapped up the set with indie-folk hit "Mushaboom," pleasing the fans of her earlier work. On the screen behind her, an image of a quaint house in a winter setting was constructed by silhouettes throughout the song. Fans continued to applaud Feist long after she left the stage, anticipating her return for a few more melodies.
Feist proved her musical range once more with her encore performances of "Sea Lion Woman" and "Let It Die" — the former, a guitar-heavy hard hitter from The Reminder, contrasted with the dark subtleties of the title track from Feist's 2004 album. But like the rest of the performance, both songs were played with effortless perfection and awe-inspiring beauty.
But perhaps this notion is not limited to Feist's music. Her stage demeanor throughout the evening, as opposed to opener Jason Collett, exhibited her natural ease as a performer, while her lyrics and instrumental ability showcased her professionalism as a musician. By providing innovative twists to every song, Feist made her concert a worthwhile experience.
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I’d hardly call that a “worthwhile” experience. I went to this so called “Feist” all I could think of was several small piglets being devoured by a pack of hungry prairie dogs.
Jesus Christ Anonymous. You and I must be on like, similar brain waves because I was totally thinking the same exact thing! This was really a big waste of time, but I do think the article is very well written. Good job girls, girl power!
So, I’ve been meaning to post this for a while, but, I never got around to it.
This concert was AMAZING. By far the best concert I have ever been too. It’s a shame she is so strange looking. Kind of like a retarded ladybug.
I would TOTALLY pee in her butt.
I just came.