The multi-talented Ms. Spektor was not part of the official Festival or Fringe but just happened to be touring in Edinburgh as the Festivals were about to get underway – a fact she lamented several times as she was unable to participate. Later she would tell a charming story about seeing a comedian called Reggie Watts at around 1AM many Fringes ago with the Dresden Dolls …
Anyway, Ms. Spektor took to the stage and launched straight into a rather disconcerting anti-Trump monologue which took most of the audience by surprise. Apparently the latest mouth-breather in the Administration had suggested the poem “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, emblazoned on the base of the Statue Of Liberty, had suggested it was “just words” and “didn’t mean what it said” (for anyone wondering, it’s the one that concludes “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”). Apart from clearly being no fan of the current Administration, Ms. Spektor had made a PBS programme about the poem some years previously. To say she disagreed with the person’s assertions would be to put it somewhat mildly.
Anyway, after that rather shaky start we were into the music. It was mostly excellent. I had a decent view of the piano and could watch all the handwork and fingering and very impressive it was too. When talking on the microphone earlier her voice had seemed almost wee-girlish, almost an affectation – singing was an entirely different matter. Ably backed up by a low-key band (drummer, keyboards, cellist) and a restrained but effective lighting rig the show was a very pleasant way to spend a few hours. It took me a while to get into it properly- hindered by not being overly familiar with Ms. Spektor’s back catalogue – and while I neither really felt any emotional connection nor much reason why I couldn’t get much the same experience from an album at home it was a consummate display by a very serious and talented musician.
Well, I say I didn’t get emotionally involved – the last song of the encore was Ms. Spektor solo at piano singing and performing “Samson”. If there was a dry eye in the house at the end then whoever that eye belonged to was made of sterner stuff than me. The song seemed especially pertinent given its lyrical content and the context within which I was hearing.
As we all shuffled out I concluded that I had witnessed a good, solid performance from an artist at her peak, but didn’t really love it (apart from at the end).
Show 1 done.
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