Hotel Café Tour a 'clusterfuck of music'

Hotel Café Tour a 'clusterfuck of music'

by Albert Rodriguez - SGN A&E Writer HOTEL CAFÉ TOUR W/ INGRID MICHAELSON, WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS, ETC. APRIL 8 NEUMOS Billed as a "clusterfuck of music" in which artists rotate on and offstage nonstop for over two hours, the Hotel Café Tour made a decent showing to a receptive sold-out crowd this week at Neumos. An ambitious group of upstart singer-songwriters, each barely known in major music circles, performed solo sets and collaborated with one another for a night of mostly hushed vocals, guitar backgrounds, and love-themed lyrics. Opening act William Fitzsimmons looked as if he'd just popped out of a hippie DIY kit with a bushy beard, wool cap, dorky glasses and a totally laid-back attitude. He began with "It's Not True" from his album Goodnight, a delicate ballad that flexed his talents as both a vocalist and songwriter. Joined by Ally Moss, he then sang "You Broke My Heart." A great rendition of "Everything Has Changed" was the highlight of his set, immediately followed by an unfortunate lowpoint - Fitzsimmons chose to do a silly, weird, singalong version of Go West's "King of Wishful Thinking." He should really stick to the serious stuff. Meiko, a gorgeous young woman that could pass for a brunette Jewel, grabbed everyone's attention with a quick roster of songs that included the delightful "Reasons to Love You." Frustrated with a cold, Meiko confessed to the audience "I really just want a fucking shot!" Later in the show, she played "Under My Bed" and "How Lucky We Are." Up next was Jim Bianco, introduced as the Italian Stallion from Long Island. Though I was impressed with his saucy mix of rock, jazz, and blues, I found his onstage theatrics - primarily his intense facial gestures - a tad overdone. At one point, I thought his antenna lost its connection in attempting to channel Joe Cocker. Further on in the program, Bianco involved the crowd in the burlesque-style number "Goodness Gracious." That was his finest moment. The biggest name on the Seattle stop of this Hotel Café Tour was Ingrid Michaelson, best described as part Tori Amos and part Lisa Loeb, and perhaps a hint of Vanessa Carlton. Appearance-wise, her long straight hair and studious-looking eyeglasses reminded me of former MTV VJ Kennedy. I adored her humorous side, telling everyone that microphones usually smell like old Chinese food or baby diapers. And I absolutely loved her lively pop songs, especially "Breakable" and "The Hat." Michaelson's bubbly, spunky energy is steadily going to gain her a larger fan base, aside from the ones she's lured from musical cameos on Grey's Anatomy and Old Navy commercials. Jessica Hoop, a California native who pronounces her last name "Hope", introduced her first piece "Seed of Wonder" as a puzzle, and indeed it was. The song, accompanied solely by a catchy guitar pluck, had too much going on - even the concertgoers in front of me rolled their eyes at the tune's complicated over-eagerness. Cary Brothers, a marquee name on the whole tour, bucked the acoustic niche of the show and opted for a more electrical performance. His initial song sounded like a B-side to a bad alternative rock single and his follow-up sounded like... well, like a B-side to a bad alternative rock single. He fared better with "Ride," used on a TV hospital drama episode in which a hermaphrodite must choose between a penis or vagina. Hotel Café Tour helped expose artists such as Joshua Radin, Brett Dennen and Sara Bareilles. From this year's crop of anxious rising stars, I see probable success for Fitzsimmons and Meiko - both have potential to become the next Iron & Wine and Colbie Caillat, respectively. Michaelson has already broken through and I'm very interested in watching her escalation on the music scene. Earlier this week, she was announced as a performer for the upcoming Bumbershoot festival. The reality is that so many singer-songwriters are vying for attention these days, and very few will receive it. Some of the acts on Tuesday night's Café bill will eventually achieve fame and glory, others will not. They should all get an A for effort.