Concert Review: At home with Reid and Jessie

Reid Jamieson w/Jessie Bell Smith
Rivoli
10.28.09

Ever since coming across Reid Jamieson about 5 years ago, floored from his acoustic EP “Noise in my Chest,” I’ve been meaning to see him live.  Ever since he moved to Vancouver, it has been tougher and tougher to catch him.  I was lucky enough to hear about his return to Toronto last Wednesday.

Walking into the Rivoli, I was taken aback by the revamp of it’s typically drab (yet intimate) backspace.  The space was transformed into a classic 1940s-inspired jazz bar, complete with tables w/white table cloths and candle lights. Not bad for a quick turnaround; enough so you didn’t care much about the plastic patio chairs and sticky floors from the previous weekend’s shenanigans.

Guelph folk darling Jessie Bell Smith kicked off the night with a solo set of gutteral roosty songs about old age homes, dead mice and drunken jagermeister.  Bell has a commanding raspy twang with the potential of great dames Etta James, Janis and Emma Lou Harris,powerful enough to fill the room without a mic. I wished she opened our eyes more as she was belted out those raw alto notes to strengthen her already powerful connection to the audience during her set.  She has a ton of potential – look out for her as she grows and returns backed by full band.

Coming straight off the heels of a successful tour with CBC’s Vinyl Cafe with Stewart McLean, Reid Jamieson came onto the stage to a warm and comforting crowd of close friends and family, including a few folks the Skydiggers.  His elation and emotion came through very strongly, as if he was putting on a special show in his own living room.  Jamieson was very professional and polite in his demenour, playing songs from his albums The Unavoidable Truth, The Presley Sessions, and his new EP, Courting Juniper, coming out this month.

Jessie Bell Smith came onstage to sing Paperback Fantasy, one the highlights of the night. Unfortunately he did not play any of his evocative and intimately private songs from his Noise in My Chest release, but it had been over 5 years since its release.

Although he started polite and professional off the gates, Jamieson loosened up to become his alter-elvis ego for his set of Elvis songs, and closing with a fun cover of Natural Woman.  Looking forward to hearing his next album of (presumably) knee-shaking heartbreak tunes and sweet love songs – something for which I can never seem to get enough.

-ROBB ENG

1 comment November 5th, 2009