LIVE: MADELEINE PEYROUX wsg SOPHIE B HAWKINS – May 7, 2022

Venue: Bilheimer Capitol Theatre

City: Clearwater, FL

Dates: May 7, 2022

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

There are artists that seem like long shots to ever see live, let alone review and photograph – Madeleine Peyroux is one of those performers.  From the first time I heard her rendition of “La Vie en Rose” from her 1996 release Dreamland, I have been in awe of her vocal talent, her ability to embrace emotional tracks whether in English or French.  I was excited to hear she was performing at Bilheimer Capitol Theatre as this venue caters to vocal performance sonically.  Originally announced with Paula Cole opening, a last minute change added another favorite of mine, Sophie B. Hawkins. Ms. Hawkins took to the stage using her vocals, an acoustic, a keyboard (while she would rather have used the grand on stage, but didn’t want her back to the audience), and even a set of bongos, to treat us to a couple hits, some obscure tracks, and some new tracks.  Set opener “Right Beside You” was a fitting open to her portion of the show and got many of the attendees singing along, including this photographer!  A new song followed and then a lot of the show took on a storyteller groove as she intro new hits, new songs, deep tracks, and even told stories that tied her personal life, her participation in Room 105 and portraying Janis Joplin, and much more.  Hawkins pulled the her trump card and delivered a final shot that took us into the intermission with a song running through our heads like an earworm when she sang “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover.”  While the acoustic show was personal and satisfying, my hope is that some day I can check her out with a full band and really absorb a lot of the tracks as they were originally recorded. After a quick set change, we were soon greeted by Madeleine Peyroux and her band.  As they took their spots on stage, she welcomed us tot he show and launched into her own blend of jazz and blues.  She played acoustic and sang to her strength from the onset, but made quick order of introducing her band and making sure they shared in the spotlight.  Her voice, while strong, is complimented and never seems to overpower the song, the band, or the situation.  Early on, Peyroux launched into a more modern favorite of mine as she led her band through the Leonard Cohen track “Dance Me To The End Of Love.”  The real magic of Madeleine’s performance is her voice as an instrument and how it blends, swirls, and soars in the mix of instrumentation of music as the set ebbed and flowed from opening note to closing.  Other favorites of mine and more importantly the audience made appearances throughout the set.  If you are lucky enough to check out her show as she makes a run through the month of May and part of the US, I suggest you grab a ticket and settle in for an evening full of jazz and blues that are curated and performed as only Peyroux can do.

[Show as slideshow]

FULL SET OF MADELEINE PEYROUX PHOTOS HERE

MADELEINE PEYROUX LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

[Show as slideshow]

FULL SET OF SOPHIE B HAWKINS PHOTOS HERE

SOPHIE B HAWKINS LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

Tags: featured

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries