KD Lang

Wow! Corey took me to see KD Lang at the Mountain Winery last night in Saratoga. Without a doubt, the best live performer I've ever seen in my life. She was fantastic.

Some artists are incredible recording musicians, and their albums are just unbelievable. Others have a stage presence so powerful that it more than makes up for mediocre talent. Seldom do you find a performer who gets playful and funny on stage, but who also has the raw talent to back it up. KD Lang is one of those rare performers who works her magic in both arenas, combining astounding ability with grace, class, and playfulness.

Honestly, I'm usually bored by the end of a musical concert. Checking my watch, rubbing my sore lower back, etc. Not this one. When she said, "The last song I'm going to sing for you . . . " I was really upset. No fair! You only did like six or seven songs!!! The show ended too soon for me.

Her stage presence is such that she knows exactly how much silly bantering to do with her audience. In between songs, she was really funny. Not just stupid funny, but really very witty. She didn't take herself too seriously ("I'd like to sing you a medley of my one hit"). And she chatted with us about California's gubernatorial problems ("at least you would have a four-year respite from Arnold's films...").

And lets not forget the music. The band had great chemistry, and included her piano/accordion player of 19 years. But it wouldn't be a band without a vocalist. This girl's got serious game. What a set of pipes! One of those smooth, almost gravelly, dry voices that sounds like Dexter Gordon on the saxophone -- a very, very, very dry martini. Smooth and sultry. Kind of like Norah Jones, but a bit more refined.

And the venue couldn't have been more perfect. The Mountain Winery is an outdoor concert stage set in front of a very old stone building (presumably, the original winery?) on the side of a mountain in Saratoga. Flanked by redwoods and musky with the scent of wine, it was a beautiful way to hear such a beautiful singer. (I don't imagine that seeing "The Beach Boys" there last month would have been as nice.) Here's a picture of the stage (no, that's not KD).

[Well, the picture didn't turn out. Looks like I"ll have to post it as its own entry. Coming right up.]

Oh, and this was the first clear sky we've had in two weeks. So we saw Mars. Yup. Little red dot. Little brighter than normal, but still just a little red dot.

Posted: Wed - September 3, 2003 at 09:04 AM

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KD Lang

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