Regina Spektor

Went along to the the leadmill on friday night to watch regina spektor and it was a fabulous gig, she was really quite stunning. I didn't have much idea about what to expect, apart from a few tunes I'd heard on the radio and internet, but I've never seen a gig start like this one. It was held in the small dance floor room, so was quite an intimate surrounding, a few hundred people there. Regina entered the stage, and with her short stature she looked a little lost, with a drum stick in hand she nervously greeted the crowd and there was much chatting and bustling. She then proceeded to sing unaccompanied bar for a beat being tapped out on the microphone with her fingers. Her voice was so powerful and unique that immediately a silence fell on the venue and everyone was fixated upon this diminuative songstress. The gig progressed, mainly with quirky anti-folk songs accompanied by accomplished keyboard playing, interesting use of vocal sounds, and a re-appearence of the drumstick, which was used to beat out a great rhythm on a wooden chair! I think the live experience far exceeds her recorded tunes that I've heard, and I'd recommend attending her shows whilst she is here in the uk.

apologies for the poor photo, the lighting was quite dull in the venue, and flash photos only illuminated the crowd!