Fiona Apple’s stage persona really hasn’t changed much since 1997. I first saw her perform live that year when she opened for The Wallflowers at the Santa Barbara Bowl. At the time, she was still an unknown, yet emerging artist. I was already a big fan of her debut album Tidal, and as far as I was concerned, I was there to see Fiona and not the headlining Wallflowers (and where are they now?).
Fast forward eight years to two nights ago at The Moore Theatre in Seattle. It was the second night of what I’d like to call her “comeback” tour. After six years and a lot of record label drama, Fiona Apple finally released her third album Extraordinary Machine in October. Even if her new album and current U.S. tour are not being touted as a comeback, that’s exactly what they are to me. When I heard she was to play in Seattle, I figured it would be my last chance to see her in concert, what with her infrequent touring and lapsed time in between albums.
After a Jason Mraz-esque (only worse, if that’s possible) wannabe opening act who clearly couldn’t sing while he played jam guitar and whose songs lacked any sort of chorus, Fiona finally came out to her piano and opened the set with “Get Him Back,” the second track off of the new album. Immediately, the crowd was engaged with the pounding of the keys and her deep, rhythmic voice. After the first song, she threw off her sweater to reveal a black, floor-length gown accented with a bright red belt and a turquoise flower behind her ear.
She played a few more songs at the piano, including “Shadowboxer” and “To Your Love.” She finally got up and came around to the microphone at the front of the stage to sing a stripped-down version of “I Know.” Accompanied only by the haunting sounds of a single keyboard that sounded more like an organ, this particular rendition of the last track from When The Pawn was almost otherworldly and ethereal, how her voice became clear and lucid while singing the tragic lyrics, “Baby, I can’t help you out while she is still around.” It was then that I was nearly brought to tears.
But then she launched into some of her, ahem, angrier songs, like “Sleep to Dream,” “Limp,” and “Paper Bag.” All the while, she was at the microphone, where she seemed a bit uncomfortable. She danced around a bit, but her style was a little bit like Elaine on Seinfeld, arms akimbo and swinging, almost as if she was having a conniption fit. Even in her obvious discomfort away from the security blanket of the piano, though, she really seemed to feel the emotions of the songs in her crazed movements.
Article comments
1 - KVB-E
Lovely review - makes me want to buy tickets for a Fiona concert near me! Thanks. :)
2 - Nanette
Very nice review! I know exactly what you're describing in her dance style - she did that when I saw her a couple months back at the benefit concert. Very strange.
3 - Jeff
I saw Fiona the night before in Portland Oregon and was blown away by her inaugural performance of this tour. She gave us over 2 hours of bliss. The energy and the way she belts out lyrics made me wonder if her vocal chords would recover in time for the Seattle show.
I would not call what Fiona does on stage a dance. Her twists and jerky arm motions seem more like an exclamation point than any pretense at choreography.
The crowd was emotionally involved in a way that I have rarely seen and the Fiona concert that I experienced will certainly be lost in the Coldplay arena setting.
Your comments about the opening act are right on target. I did not bother to catch his name either, but he surely needs to be discarded.
4 - Joe
Saw Fiona at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut recently. After the second song the audience started to leave. She wasn't singing but screaming and yelling. She seemed upset and couldn't control herself. What a shame.