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Caroline Smith woos High Noon crowd with seductive, pizza-centric show

In a showcase of Midwestern talent, Saturday night’s performance was filled with female empowerment and euphoric vocals
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Marissa Haegele

A young crowd filled the High Noon Saloon on Saturday, with high levels of estrogen, ideals of female empowerment and some unsuspecting boyfriends who tagged along for the ride. Caroline Smith is no stranger to Madison, but what made this performance memorable was the audience participation, fun but professional music-making and melodramatic anecdotes about pizza.

It was a true Midwestern showcase, featuring local acts Mr. Jackson of Madison and Vic and Gab of Milwaukee.

Mr. Jackson was a two-piece urban funk, gospel and hip-hop fusion. Don’t be misled, however. As cool as that may seem, their performance lacked audience engagement. This is what one would expect from a couple of teenagers experimenting with their first drum machine in their parents’ basement in the early grunge days of the ‘90s. But they’re old men still tinkering with updated versions of these same toys, and their musical intellect, unfortunately, hasn’t matured.

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Luckily, the next act to follow was much more impressive. Vic and Gab, a trio from Milwaukee, boasted frontwomen sisters Victoria and Hannah Gabriella, who showcased their extraordinary voices and string savvy, with the support of drummer Esteban Vazquez. Their rock-pop vibe flaunted instrumentation somewhat reminiscent of the Strokes, but their vocal harmonies were what really set them apart. Working off their sisterly dynamic, their voices were highly compatible together, creating striking harmonies. Their impeccable precision, in the face of frequent fretboard slides, was exceptional and noteworthy.

Fans erupted into cheers when the Minnesota-based R&B singer and her crew took the stage at last. Show-goers experienced intimacy, proximity and lots of love. Performing almost exclusively tracks off of her latest album, “Half About Being a Woman,” she lured in her millennial-dominant audience with her dynamic stage presence and story-telling capacity.

Smith flaunted her ripened showmanship during her theatrical segue into “Buy Me Something.” Despite Smith’s ability to “get way down on some deep-dish [pizza],” she revealed the importance she places on value and self-worth.

“Fellas, if you’re taking me out for one slice of pizza to share for $3.50, please do not turn around and look me in my face and ask me if I would like to ‘split this one.’”

This musical oratory, observed over the musical backing of the rhythm section, was executed in a cutesy call-and-answer fashion between the ladies on the stage. Behind their quirky, humorous anecdote was a stronger, empowering message about female dignity, equally directed toward the men and women in the audience, to reinforce ideas about self-respect and merit in relationships. Smith clarified that she is not a gold digger, that she would happily share the financial burden of a house or car. But she adds that if “you’re trying to ‘show [a lady] how you feel,’ I’m just hoping that after tonight, it costs way more to you – way more – than $1.75.”

Shortly after this lesson in shared finances, Caroline Smith and the band began jamming – something slowwwww, smooth and sexy. “Are you feeling sexy?” she sang and crooned to the audience, who responded singing “I feel like making love” in unison. This went on for a few minutes, prompting one of the wisecrack boyfriends in the audience to tell his girlfriend, “You know, I’m feeling pretty 7 out of 10 right now.”  Apparently the males in the audience were not as empowered as the females.

Smith, who heavily catered to the ladies most of the night, spoke to the gentlemen in the audience next. She asked them if they knew what it felt like to have a woman leave them, and when that didn’t seem to resonate on an emotional level with the men, she used pizza once again to solicit a response.

“She’s gone! She’s never coming back!” Smith said. “Your roommate has eaten your last frozen pizza! It doesn’t get any lower!”

After this musical prelude, she engaged in a 20 minute rendition of the title track to Caroline Smith’s 2013 album, “Half About Being a Woman,” which included an amazing tribute to R&B of the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Smith began with “No Diggity,” an obvious choice, but the bit got more interesting with a surprising rendition of Destiny Child’s “Bootylicious” and TLC’s “Waterfalls”– all over Smith’s own neo-soul, R&B groove. She went on soliciting audience requests, showcasing the band’s ability to spontaneously bend to the audience’s will.

The final, encore performance of the night was the most intimate one. Saying she didn’t feel close enough to the audience, Smith – guitar in hand and backup singers right behind her – came into the audience for a mass serenade of “Child of Moving On.”  People swayed around her as she sang the final and most heartfelt song of the album.

Smith’s theatrical presentation and flawless delivery were a testament to the rising star’s dedication to the craft. Her shows have come a long way from her folksy days. Smith has not only embraced being a woman; she has embraced being a performer. Synchronized dance, frequent hand gestures and overall crowd engagement were some of the defining characteristics of the show. It’s obvious this Midwestern girl is definitely all grown up now, perfectly echoed in her latest musical endeavors.

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