Lady Lamb 05/06/2015 : Schubas Tavern – Chicago, IL
Mesmerizing Stature
by Brenton Goodrich
I’ve been infatuated with Aly Spaltro/Lady Lamb for a couple of years now but probably still wasn’t prepared for the outstanding performance I saw on this night. Watching her small stature set up equipment and sound-check with her bandmates and then receive commanding attention from the first note, decidedly set the tone. She launched into “You Are the Apple” from first album Ripely Pine [one of my Best Albums of 2013]. I was immediately struck by her voice even though I expected to be, but also by the evident skill and stage presence. I did not realize she provided all the guitar heard on the album, and the two guys backing on bass, keys, effects, and drums were extremely capable and great accompaniment. “Still need your teeth around my organs” is quite possibly one of my favorite all time lyrics. “Billions of Eyes” kicked off with its vibrant vocals and showcased the many dynamics she masters so well. When she transitions from the trebly pop-forward “Da Da Da Da” to her deeper, engaging vocals and weaving around varying melodies…..I feel I’m seeing one of the most unique and gifted artists of our time. “I just want to fall into a pile of warm laundry, I just want to keep very very quiet”…..I’m in. One of the many great tracks from new album After.
The tiny club crowd seemed as mesmerized as we were. Moving along to every beat and especially to Aly’s intense but unpretentious delivery, the audience was as respectful and in tune as I’ve ever seen with a performer…..dead silent in quiet parts of songs and attentive when she spoke, humorous at times. Other highlights included the driving “Bird Balloons”, delicate and solo-performed “Sunday Shoes”, and the angry, pulsing “Dear Arkansas Daughter”. She thanked us for not yelling out weird things like other cities when she brought out the banjo for a couple tunes. Several of her songs start with a light beat and downbeat reflective lyrics and turn into loud swirling rock which got her bouncing around the stage. This was especially true on “Crane Your Neck” and “Penny Licks”. It was fascinating to experience this honest and beautiful performance from such a honest and talented artist. Her authentic “I just really enjoy writing songs and performing them…so thanks for supporting me and allowing me to do that” was awesome. Thank you Lady Lamb, we left feeling inspired.
Setlist:
You Are The Apple
Billions of Eyes
Dear Arkansas Daughter
Milk Duds
Bird Balloons
Sunday Shoes
The Nothing Part II
Violet Clementine
Aubergine
Spat Out Spit
Batter
Penny Licks
Crane Your Neck
Ten
Photo credit: Jen Emmert. I forgot to take pictures 😉