{"id":27261,"date":"2017-05-08T19:55:48","date_gmt":"2017-05-09T03:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=27261"},"modified":"2017-05-08T19:55:48","modified_gmt":"2017-05-09T03:55:48","slug":"live-review-feist-provides-pure-pleasure-at-the-palace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2017-05\/live-review-feist-provides-pure-pleasure-at-the-palace\/","title":{"rendered":"Live Review: Feist Provides Pure ‘Pleasure’ at The Palace"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Photo by @LAMusicscene_<\/a><\/h6>\n

Until Saturday night we had never been at the right place at the right time to catch one of the fabulous\u00a0Feist’s <\/strong>shows.\u00a0When Leslie Feist<\/strong>, one of our all-time favorite artists, announced she would hold a three-night residency at the intimate Palace Theater\u00a0<\/strong>in LA, the stars finally aligned. Anticipation ran high as Feist<\/strong> took the stage at the sold out venue with her superb three-piece band (two multi-instrumentalists\/vocalists and drummer Paul Taylor<\/strong>). With her fantastic new album Pleasure<\/strong> <\/em>only a week old, it was no surprise that her set focused on the plenty-pleasurable songs from the new album, all of which took on added luster, emotion and nuance live. It says volumes about the quality of\u00a0Pleasure<\/strong><\/em> that at concert’s end its songs ranked right up there with the older favorites that Feist<\/strong> would go on to perform.
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Photo by Lizzie Willett<\/h6>\n

Beginning with the title track, Feist<\/strong> performed the entire album in sequence before adding on a mix of “golden oldies” (her words). Sporting a full-length pink dress, Feist<\/strong> ferociously fingered her guitar on the propulsive and rowdy\u00a0Pleasure <\/strong><\/em>and the audience erupted as the song came crashing to its powerful close. In addition to her astonishing, signature vocals, Feist<\/strong> is a gifted guitar player with masterful chops and a charming stage presence. She beguiled throughout the night. While difficult to single-out highlights from the Pleasure<\/strong><\/em> portion of the show, the comparatively delicate Lost Dreams<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(with its perfectly looped vocals and guitar) was found dreamy. And the dynamic\u00a0Any Party\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(possibly our favorite song off the new album) wowed with its rambunctious romanticism, Feist’s<\/strong> stentorian vocals and a fabulous\u00a0Feist-led<\/strong>\u00a0sing-along of the chorus (\u201cYou know I\u2019d leave any party for you\/ ’cause no party is as sweet as our party of two\u201d). On Any Party<\/strong><\/em> (and also on Baby Be Simple <\/strong><\/em>and\u00a0A Man Is Not His Song<\/strong><\/em>) her vocals echoed legendary fellow-Canadian chanteuse\u00a0Mary Margaret O’Hara<\/strong>\u00a0[Ed: at bottom, watch\u00a0Any Party<\/strong><\/em> as performed Sunday night at the Palace<\/strong>, with Feist’s<\/strong>\u00a0long-time collaborator, LA-resident drummer\/composer\/producer Mocky<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0guesting on drums].\u00a0Century<\/strong><\/em> was a forceful wall of sound (and lights), complete with Jarvis Cocker’s<\/strong> spoken-word interlude. I’m Not Running Away<\/strong><\/em> was powerful (see Toronto performance below), with Feist<\/strong> wailing on her bluesy electric guitar and soaring on vocals. The stay-young Young Up\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>closed the Pleasure<\/strong> <\/em>portion on a strong and encouraging note, with Feist<\/strong> fist-pumping along.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Lefort<\/h6>\n

Feist<\/strong> was in good spirits throughout her set, introducing songs, chatting with the audience and repeatedly leading clapping and singalong sequences. She introduced the\u00a0A Man Is Not His Song\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>by dedicating the song to her\u00a0Broken Social Scene<\/strong> pal Kevin Drew<\/strong> who was in attendance (“Kevin, you were the first to hear these songs.”). She would later introduce 2007 hit I Feel It All<\/strong><\/em>, off of The Reminder<\/strong><\/em>, by reminiscing about touring in 2007 on a tour bus with then-openers\u00a0Grizzly Bear<\/strong>, whose Ed Droste<\/strong> was also in the audience (“they’ve got a new album and I’ve got a new album…hmmm”).<\/p>\n

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Photo by Hannah McDaniel<\/h6>\n

Following Pleasure<\/strong><\/em>, the set moved into its “golden oldies” portion, with Feist<\/strong> inviting any slow-dance couples to come in front of the stage and do so (“like that scene from Back to The Future<\/em>“). The audience heeded her call and rushed the stage for the crowd-pleasing remainder. On both\u00a0My Moon My Man<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0and Sea Lion<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Feist<\/strong> instigated crowd-clapping and sing-alongs to great effect. A stripped down, but revved-up version of her classic\u00a0I Feel It All<\/strong><\/em> was revelatory (still) and joy-filled. Let It Die<\/strong><\/em> followed with Feist<\/strong>\u00a0evincing her soulful vocal prowess to great effect. For the encore, Feist<\/strong> performed a rearranged, tempered version of her mega-hit 1234<\/strong><\/em>, allowing the song’s lyrics to take on a more sepia-toned, sagacious tone. Beauty.<\/p>\n

After almost two hours of musical perfection, our losing streak had been broken. We had finally witnessed live one of the most talented artists of this generation. Vive la Feist<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

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Photo of Feist (lower left corner) from @feistmusic<\/a><\/h6>\n