BETH ORTON @ Club Soda

By Louis Rozza - Hooked On Sonics - 04/07/2006

This was British singer/ songwriter Beth Orton’s first Canadian tour since 2002 when she was showcasing her underrated album Daybreaker. The wait was worth it on this night. Her melancholic raspy voice was in fine form and so was her sense of humour, as she engaged the crowd at the beginning of the set saying “I didn’t know I was opening for Lesbians on Ecstasy”, referring to the huge letters that band had outside the marquee promoting their upcoming show.

Her new album Comfort of Strangers has been well received and marks a subtle retreat back into her original folk roots minus all the electronic wizardry that accompanied previous albums. On this record, the songs shine through with a sense of openness and freshness that was missing from previous albums.

For this night's show, she did not stray far into her catalogue, preferring to concentrate on the new material despite the audience requests for classic songs off of 1996’s Trailer Park and 1999’s Central Reservation. She did play the classics, but it was only towards the end of the set that she treated the audience to “Stolen Car, “She Cries Your Name” and “Paris Train”. The first two in particular were the highlights of the night, performed with just her on acoustic guitar.

Her voice was astounding, leaving the audience wanting more. She actually played three encores, which I had never seen a performer do. With the encores, the fans were treated to some memorable performances. Her voice all night was spot-on, and she loved that the crowd shouted, “We love you” which she in turn replied, “I love you too”. The show lasted almost two hours and it was well worth it.

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