The throng of people packed into the
Overture’s Capitol Theatre spent their Saturday night not only singing and
dancing, but laughing, and laughing hard. Ingrid Michaelson, the quirky, ginger
musician from Staten Island, would have been right at home at the Comedy Club across
the street, but her main talent as an indie-pop singer-songwriter is still what
sells it for her fans. She provided the crowd with a more than satisfying night
of music and comedy that they are not likely to forget any time soon.

Opening for Ingrid was Guggenheim Grotto,
a charming duo from Ireland that knew how to make people fall in love with
their music right on the spot. The Irish lads’ newest album, The Universe is Laughing, was visible in
the hands of many leaving the Overture after Ingrid’s performance. Their songs
were mellow, sweet, and catchy–definitely a band to look into for those Ingrid
fans who missed the show.

The main act of the night began as an
intrigued crowd watched six hooded figures walk on stage to the sound of the
amped up guitar riffs of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” Michaelson and her
band emerged from underneath the cloaks to roaring cheers and sang along to
Robert Plants’ “Ahhh aaah ah” before slipping into songs off of Girls and Boys, Be OK, and Everybody. Ingrid and her band were ready to rock, and after
that unexpected opening, the crowd was electrified. She got everyone singing
along to “Mountain and the Sea,” swaying to “The Chain,” and humming “ba da da”
to “Die Alone.” The way Ingrid and her band mates collaborated made her
familiar songs somehow seem fresh. She introduced some new, fierce songs from
albums yet to come that had more of a pop feel than her more traditional and folksy
tunes, but her fans seemed pleased nevertheless. 

Ingrid’s energy on stage was palpable.
The ease in which she interacted with her fans gave the sold-out show an
intimate feel–like hanging out with old friends. When she was not singing,
Michaelson was engaging with the audience, relating a myriad of anecdotes from
her life as a “sort of” famous musician. She was sure to share how a tweet from
Leann Rimes left her feeling on top of the world but completely unable to reply
for nerves. Later in the evening, her comical recounting of a drunken meeting
with REM’s lead singer, Michael Stipe, led to a heartfelt cover of their song “Nightswimming”
that left the audience silent with emotion.

She revived the upbeat feel of her
concert towards the end with another cover. This time, it was Britney Spears’ “Toxic”
complete with a choreographed dance by the six musicians that could have been
straight from Bring it On. Everyone
was on their feet bopping and grooving like no one was watching, especially
with her last song, a pop-punk version of “The Way I am” with an Avril Lavigne
feel. There were smiles all around as the audience exited the elegant theatre,
having enjoyed a night of pure entertainment.

Another Ingrid show will no doubt be in Madison’s future as she has
played to larger, more devoted crowds with every return.

by Nicole Barkin and Ben Hampson