By Shada Felli
Concert review: Vanessa Carlton
By Shada Felli
Editor-In-Chief
“Vanessa who?” That was the thought running through my head when asked if I wanted to attend the Vanessa Carlton concert at Jim Porter’s last Wednesday night. After purchasing the CD to familiarize myself with the music, and hearing that Rolling Stone had named her among the “Top 10 Artists To Watch in 2002,” I realized that a great artist was emerging.
Vanessa took a seat at her piano for a captivating 60-minute show, illuminating the stage with a performance from her debut album, “Be Not Nobody.” Opening with a song titled “Unsung,” with lyrics about trying to find a place in a young man’s heart, chills engulfed my entire body.
Vanessa continued to bring life to the audience with her hypnotic keyboarding skills. She possesses great talent, and her music seems to become her when she performs. Her music draws from several types, including classical, classic rock, and soulful pop. Her show continued with her hit single “A Thousand Miles.” This song brought tears to many eyes, with the power and passion that was felt in Vanessa’s sultry voice.
This ballet dancer turned singer-songwriter threw the audience into yet another frenzy with the next song in the set, “Paint it Black,” a remake of the Rolling Stones classic. She arose from her seat and simultaneously played the stage and the audience.
An encore was requested of the vibrant pianist after only performing nine of eleven songs from her album. She returned to the stage as requested to finish her set with a mellow song called “Twilight.” Being the proud, confident woman that she is, she had no problem making herself feel more comfortable when she paused in the middle of the encore and belched into the microphone.
Overall, the concert was much more than I had expected from a blossoming artist. If you enjoy a little classical pop, I would more than recommend that you check out a show if you get the opportunity.
