Hotel Cafe Tour! House of Blues Anaheim

The 2006 Hotel Cafe Tour with Jim Bianco, Rachael Yamagata, White Buffalo, Cary Brothers, Joshua Radin, Schuyler Fisk and Sarah Bareilles

I am SOOOOOO tired, but it was totally worth the long drive (4 and a half freaking hours thanks to awful traffic) and falling into bed at 2am only to get up about 4 hours later.

We got there 1/2 hour late, but managed to see everyone we went to see (not too difficult considering they switch off and mix up and play beautiful music in all sorts of lovely combinations).

When we got there Sara Bareilles was just being introduced. Just a girl on a piano, she blew me away with her voice. It's a beautiful, smooth, jazzy, with a touch of R&B and soul that soars into the heights at just the perfect moment. You want to say she's pop, blues, soul, but she really all and none. "Love song", "Fairytale" (ironic that it was played at Disneyland!), and her rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle" - performed later in the show (which I daresay she may have performed even better than Christina) were highlights. She's definitely "Buy the CD" worthy. I loved her stage presence as well...simply herself, rambling a little when she was nervous, cracking jokes in the middle of a song yet totally pulling it off without leaving the listener feeling jarred.

Then they introduced a surprise guest (who apparently just showed up backstage), Alexi Murdoch. He played a couple songs on guitar, with an electronic kick-drum to fill out the bottom. He was a very pleasant surprise, I must say. His vocals are full, but soft and gentle and he's got some lovely rhythms and cadences to his guitar-playing. "All my days" hooked me with its down home, gentle sound and "Orange Sky" was a standout song. Another artist I could listen to multiple times over.

Next up was Schuyler Fisk starting off her mini-set with "Hello". Schuyler's music (folksy, with a bit of a country feel at times) is the type of music I could listen to over and over. I can't say I was blown away, but she's someone I don't think I'd ever get sick of listening to. Both Schuyler and her music are unassuming. They just are. Her performance left me feeling peaceful and happy.

Schuyler finished off her mini-set by pulling Joshua Radin onto the stage to perform "Paperweight" (possibly one of my favorite songs EVER!). The two vocal mics were a good six feet apart, so they decided (at the prompting of the audience) to share a mic and it was one of the best moments of the entire show (definitely our favorite!). Schuyler on her tippy toes and Josh leaning in as they sang together was priceless. They ended the song with Josh planting a sweet kiss on Schuyler's cheek. Too cute! It made me all happy inside.

Joshua Radin then took the stage and played a couple minimalist acoustic songs, starting off with the well-known "Star Mile" (from the Last Kiss Soundtrack). I so wanted to go up onstage and add some harmonies (I listen to his album a lot...it's one I don't get sick of), but I don't think security would have taken to that too well, haha! He whipped out the band for a couple songs, including the lovely “Closer”.

Jim Bianco later came on stage and not only played some great “spicy” music but made us laugh our asses off in the process. The lecherous “Handsome Devil” and the tongue-in-cheek ‘love song’ “Painkiller” were standouts. Bianco’s baritone, gritty-in-a-good-way voice is perfect for his eccentric musical style and presence. He was definitely the most energetically entertaining artist of the evening. As entertaining as he was live, I don’t think he’d make it long in my CD player. His style is not one that I’d be able to listen to on repeat, but it’d be fun to pull out once in a while.

As a side note, he was aided by a notable member of the house band, Brad Gordon. I just have to say that I was incredibly impressed by Brad’s jack-of-all-instruments abilities. He sang backup vocals for most of the artists, as well as producing, playing the keys, accordion, vintage-style trumpet, and clarinet. And he did it all extremely well. I have a feeling that doesn’t even touch on his capabilities. Bianco’s performance would not have been the same without Brad’s invaluable talents.

Rachael Yamagata was up next (although I think there were a few random performances in the middle there…parts of the concert are a blur since it was the longest one I’ve ever had to stand through). She has a passionate and gritty edge to her music. She was definitely the tough chick of the group. I love that her music carries so much raw emotion and lyrical vulnerability. She’s not afraid to run the gamut and explore the darker side of life, which is reflected in music as well as lyrics. Her style even has a range from soft, crooning melodies (“Be Be Your Love” was a standout, along with her Last Kiss contribution “Reason Why”) to rough edged rock to a cleverly worded a cappella tune (“Elephant”?). She also had a great rapport with the audience. She could run commentary, interact with the audience, or crack a joke in the middle of a song without missing a beat. That said, she didn’t jive much with my personal style. I can’t listen to music that dwells on the darker side of life too much, so her album wouldn’t be one to stay in the playlist for too long. Hers is music good for when you need a good cry, or to punch the living daylights out of a pillow.

Finally, the artist spearheading the tour, Cary Brothers, came up to play some of his own tunes. He started it off with his Last Kiss Soundtrack song “Ride”. I love the ethereal feel of the song. His set was the tightest of the show, both in his stage presence and music. “Blue Eyes” from the Garden State Soundtrack was another standout, which we caught on our way out. He pulled his fellow artists onstage to perform it with him as the show began winding to a close. Unfortunately, I was a bit out of it by the time Cary got onstage, so his performance was a blur, but I do know that his music still managed to get through to my brain and register as wonderful and ethereal and beautiful. His voice is very mellow and soothing.

We left a little early since we had a 2 hour drive back home, it was 11:30pm at this point, and my body was aching from standing so long, but it was overall a GREAT show and totally worth it. I love that each artist was “equal” and that the entire show had a spirit of creative collaboration and encouragement. I also love that each artist (all labeled as “singer/songwriter”), have unique talents, abilities, and styles, keeping the audience on their toes and introducing new artists to the existing fan bases of the already-known artists.

On a personal note, as a singer/songwriter myself, this show revived the desire in me to share my own unique voice with the world. A part of me has always wanted to be involved in something like the Hotel Café Tour…where talent and abilities get passed around and the musical atmosphere keeps you on your toes and challenges you to try new things. I’ve let my music lie dormant for too long. I’ve had too many musical ideas start to form and then die because I don’t give them the time and space to grow into fruition.

This is coinciding with our recent acquisition of a Yamaha Clavinova that was generously given to us (replacing my cheap-o Casio keyboard). Not only is it much more aesthetically pleasing (which really makes a difference to me!), but it also feels, plays, and sounds much more like a real piano. There is nothing like playing a real acoustic piano, but this one comes the closest to that high standard. I’m feeling that the time has come to start creating more music and challenging myself. I’ll just have to find an outlet of some sort…

Ok, I’ve yammered on enough now!