Suzanne Vega & Nerina Pallot LIVE

AKA, Dean and Gee's Summer Holiday trip to Coventry! :D

Anyways, yet another stacked and loaded tour date on the resume, held on the lovely campus of the University of Warwick...which isn't actually in Warwick, but is in Coventry. Which is strange, but hey! As this contained a support act who was worthwhile, lets tackle them seperately.

NERINA PALLOT
Last time out, Nerina's set was somewhat ruined by drunken Scousers and Irishmen prattling on rather rudely during her songs (although I don't include that nice Irish family who let me to the front to take some pictures in that) but here, in somewhat more sedate surrounding of the Butterworth Hall, the atmosphere was much more respectful. And, quite frankly, it's difficult to imagine anyone sat in the theatre not being a fan of Nerina after her bloody awesome performance here. Solo, with only a guitar or a piano for company, Nerina's star quality shone through, as evidenced by the frankly obscene queue for her little meet and greet after her set. And by the wonders of modern technology here is the set list...

All Good People
Idaho
Sophia
Geek Love
Grace
Mr. King
Damascus
My Last Tango

A nice selection from both of her albums, and substantially different from last time out (which is always a good thing). The highlights for me were Geek Love (which quite frankly is perhaps my favourite song of 2005 so far) and Damascus, which never really was one of my favourites...although it certainly is now. So really, I cannot eulogise enough about how great Nerina was, and I felt like a proud parent afterwards watching everyone battle it out to get hold of her CD before it sold out. Mind you, that's the kind of thing that would peg me as the stalker Nerina probably now thinks I am. Ah well...

SUZANNE VEGA
So onto the main event, and although my patient wait to get my picture taken with Nerina meant I missed three quarters of the opening song Marlene On The Wall, which just happens to be my favourite songs of hers...anyway, that couldn't be helped. Considering how few of her songs I thought I knew beforehand, there seemed to be something reassuringly familiar with a quite a few of the tracks she did. Not that this was a night solely dedicated to the hits as she took the opportunity to unveil some new tracks. Some new tracks that were so new that she had to have lyric sheets in front of her to remember all the words! All I can really say is that Suzanne Vega was a revelation and, despite not having ever purchased any of her records in my entire life I am wholeheartedly looking forward to her next album. And I think it is time to peruse t'internet for her back catalogue. So yes, this was bloody brilliant as well, and special mention to the midget Greg Rusedski on bass guitar :D

So really what more could I ask for from a concert than what I got here? I tell you, I'm dreading December coming around and having to formulate a "best of" list, because this was yet another top notch crew concert.