The Sophian

Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: Arts

Media Credit: Courtesy of www.bowsandarrows.com Regina Spektor

"Cover your ears," Regina Spektor said in warning to her packed-in audience in Boston last Saturday before she sneezed daintily, then berated herself for being so boorish. She was playing a completely full Avalon Ballroom; her sense of humor and self-deprecation endeared her even further to fans such as myself.

She opened the show with several songs from Soviet Kitsch and her earlier albums, accompanying herself on piano, before welcoming her band onstage, praising their musicianship and giggling at the idea that she now had her own bus because she had become "a band."

The concert-goers ran the gamut from pissed off high school students in sharpie-scribbled Chuck Taylors to middle-aged men swaying along with Regina and bobbing their heads to the beat. Everyone stood shoulder to shoulder in the packed club, shouting at Regina to play their favorite songs. Even one considerate attendee instructed her to play whatever she felt like playing, to which Regina smiled and praised him as that one nice person who lets performers do what they want.

Regina's signature quirkiness, which sets her albums apart from more mainstream - and less interesting - music, comes across much stronger when she performs live; she brought her own running commentary to the show, talking about how she'd "f-ed up" her songs at other venues during her tour and how she hoped that Boston would be the place where she wouldn't do such a thing. She also discussed the merits of vocal range and how saying something in a low voice means it's very important. Her sense of humor and lack of ego came into play yet again when she was mid-encore with her heartfelt song "Samson." Although she had said that she wanted to avoid any mistakes, she mixed up her own lyrics, then stopped, laughed at herself, let the audience laugh with her and continued on, her beautiful voice highlighting the poignancy of the song.

Backed by a drummer and two guitar players, her more energetic songs, like "On the Radio," galvanized the audience into cheers and clapping. "That Time" came across as an inside joke with her audience, a crazy confessional that everyone already knew about.

Spektor is one of the influx of sprite-like singer-songwriters including Joanna Newsom and Noe Venable, and like the music of the latter two singers, her work stands out. She's not afraid to sound sad, vindictive, or even downright weird, something that she completely embraced in concert, emphasizing the interjections and shifting melodies that make her songs so different with every listen. She gulped her way though "Après Moi" and launched into the Russian section of the song with nonchalance.

Continued...

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