Vienna Teng, Marika Hughes and Deena Macabee
Artist: Vienna Teng
Date: September 17, 2006
Opening Act: Joshua Radin
Venue: Fine Line Music Cafe
City: Minneapolis, MN
Review by [Amy Lotsberg] Producer of Collected Sounds
Well, this was a great show. Firstly, I get to see Vienna again. But it was also nice to see and hear Joshua Radin whom I had never heard before. Apparently he’s the next big thing with songs in Zach Braff’s new film “Last Kiss” and song placements on TV shows like “Scrubs”. He deserves it. He’s great.
He has a lovely voice and demeanor. He had some musicians with him, a guitar player (whose name escapes me, sorry dude!) and a pianist/singer, Priscilla Ahn whose voice is as beautiful as she is. They put on a very nice show. A treat indeed.
Vienna was great as usual. She was joined by Marika Hughes on cello, and Dina Maccabee in violin. They’re a really tight group and sound fantastic together.
I heard some cover songs I’d not hear live (by her) before. Damien Rice’s Cannonball is one she’s been doing live for some time but I don’t believe I’d heard her version before. Priscilla Ahn joined her on vocals and they sounded lovely together.
1BR/1BA involved a nice little off-shoot into Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”. Vienna said that the addition of that song was Marika and Deena’s idea and that up to then she’d not heard that song. After asking around, she felt that she was likely the only person on the planet that had not heard it. Well, she knows it now! She sounded great on it.
The Brian Webb cover I’d never heard, not even the original. But I liked it.
I was so happy to hear her play an Ellery song. Ellery is another band/duo that was signed to Virt Records after being discovered on Collected Sounds. On a personal note, Ellery will be playing at the Collected Sounds House Concert Series in February 2007.
Of course Vienna’s originals were fantastic. I was so please to hear “Unwritten Letter #1” as it’s one of my favorites, especially live. It just gives me chills.
Vienna is fabulous and always puts on a great show. Every time.
Set list
1. Enough to Go By
2. Whatever You Want
3. Blue Caravan
4. Shasta
5. Recessional
6. Unwritten Letter #1
7. Nothing Without You (solo)
8. Cannonball (Damien Rice cover with Priscilla Ahn)
9. That’s Where I’ll Be (Brian Webb cover)
10. Now Three
11. I Don’t Feel So Well
12. 1BR/1BA (medley with Dolly Parton’s “Nine to Five”)
13. Harbor
14. City Hall
(encore)
15. Arizona (Ellery cover–solo)
16. Homecoming