I like classical music. I like indie rock and singer-songwriters. And, occasionally, I even like seeing them on the same bill. But, when it comes right down to it, whether or not it works is almost entirely up to the audience. The Wordless Music shows are filled with indie-kids. Barbes brings in a casual crowd of locals and musicians.
But, when you charge a $25 cover and $7 for a pint of Stella, you're not going to get those people. You're going to get an aging, awkward audience that doesn't know how to order a drink, sits with their legs crossed, and talks way too loudly about politics and nephews trying to get into grad school. Add to that late start times and incompetent service, and you've got the makings of a less-than-ideal evening.
But, hey, let's cut 'em some slack. At least (le) poisson rouge, the basement venue that opened this week in the old Village Gate space on Bleecker Street, is thinking big. And, it's their first week. The owners claim that the club isn't even officially "opening" until September, so it's fair to say they're still in beta.
And, judging from what I saw last night, they've already got a lot of things right: nice big space, clean sightlines with flexible staging, killer sound and lights. Not to mention they've already lined up some pretty impressive talent: everyone from jazz greats Joshua Redman and Bill Frisell, to Rickie Lee Jones and the Metropolis Ensemble. It's as if Zankel Hall suddenly decided to open a downtown outpost, with table service.
As I mentioned previously, the club has hired Ronen as one of its music directors, and his first show reflected the same mix he's become known for with the Wordless series. British singer-songwriter Essie Jain sang sweet songs about love and loss in a pretty, laconic voice, sounding like a slowed-down Beth Orton. She bounced back and forth between piano and guitar, backed by acoustic bass, guitar and trumpet. "We usually have a drummer as well, but he's a bit of a drunk," she joked, to uncomfortable chuckles.
Jain was followed by pianist Simone Dinnerstein, who played a fifty minute program including selections from the Goldberg Variations and George Crumb's Eine Kleine Mitternachtmusik.
"I've never played in a club before," she told us. "I'm not used to not seeing people."
The Bach, which Dinnerstein is best known for, was well played but done in by a rattling air conditioner and clinking glasses behind the bar. The Crumb showed off Dinnerstein's range, requiring her to play inside the piano and out. I found out later that they used slight amplification in the Crumb; they should have thought to do the same with the Goldbergs.
I'd like to check out the space again once they try out their in-the-round configuration, or – better still – a standing show. To be honest, though, I'll be spending most of my time outdoors the next few months. What good is summer if not for that?
