The Pipettes, Nicole Atkins & the Sea and Monster Bobby @ Lee's Palace

I've awoken from deep REM sleep due to a leak at our place and although it's been taken care of (for now) I can't sleep. So I figured that I may as well post my review now of The Pipettes show that I attended on Sunday night. Please keep in mind though, that this review is being posted upon awakening from a very deep sleep.

Can something still be a guilty pleasure even if it's got total indie cred and everybody likes it? Because The Pipettes feel like they should be a guilty pleasure to me. However, their CD "We Are The Pipettes" has been receiving rave reviews in their native U.K. since early last year and when it was finally released in North America a few months ago, the music snob public at large has been eating it up with a spoon. There's no doubt that the songs are mega catchy, and the harmonies are really very good. The ladies are great to look at, and the show was hella fun. Prior to their hitting the stage, Lee's was blasting some of the cheesiest songs of the 50's on a mix that even included some mock deejay-ing that really evoked the spirit of the era. As the lights dimmed, the crowd went nuts, and a similar deejay voice introduced the girls that we've all been waiting to see ... THE PIPETTES!!!!! They came out dancing with boundless energy and put on a performance that was straight out of Dick Clark land. The backing band was tight (not that anyone noticed) and the girls displayed choreographed moves to all of their golden greats. Songs like "Dirty Mind," "Pull Shapes" and "Judy" didn't sound all that different then they do on the CD but who cares with a performance like this? Admittedly, at times I felt like I was watching one of those free performances that you can go and see at Canada's Wonderland, but a particularly surreal moment was during "Pull Shapes" as I turned to watch the audience pulling off all of the crazy dance moves that the girls had just taught them. How can you not just sit back and have fun when you're surrounded by so many wacky bouncing arms?

Photos: The Pipettes @ Lee's Palace on flickr
Myspace: The Pipettes
Video: Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me on youtube / Judy youtube

As fun as The Pipettes were, the money show for me was Nicole Atkins and the Sea. I am truly ashamed of myself for not taking the time to get to know this artist a little bit better prior to the show. I truly have no one to blame but myself, because her name has been all over the blogosphere, and from what I witnessed on Sunday night, her fame is completely well deserved. She has a voice that pierces right through you; a sultry classic soulful rasp that makes you forget that there's anybody else in the room. I don't know her CD "Neptune City" very well, but her performance of those songs encouraged me to change that right away. Her inbetween song banter was quite good, oftentimes giving us some personal background on the songs while the band would jazz it up a little bit in the background. One song I did recognize however was her set closer, a cover of Patti Smith's "Pissing In A River" which I am man enough to admit made me cry. She performed with such passion and conviction that when she returns in February, (she said "see you in February" so I assume that means she's planning a return,) I will have to be there with bells on. (an expression I use often but have no idea what it means...)

Photos: Nicole Atkins and the Sea @ Lee's Palace on flickr
Downloads: Bleeding Diamonds mp3 / Carouselle mp3
Myspace: Nicole Atkins
Video: Neptune City youtube / The Way It Is youtube

The evening began with UK novelty artist Monster Bobby (aka Robert Barry.) I don't mean that he's a novelty artist in the vein of Flight Of The Conchords or anything, but he is quite funny. He's actually a member of The Pipettes backing band, and it's been rumored that he's actually the brains behind the operation, although this is an accusation that he has actively denied. He performed equipped with only an acoustic guitar and a little sampling electronic machine that provided all of the other noises necessary for his brand of minute long pop songs. With song titles like "Let's Check Into A Hospital Together" or "The Closest Experience To That Of Being With You Is The Experience of Taking Drugs," it doesn't take much to realize that his songs are laced with humor and wit. But his pop sensibilities are very much in tact as well, as is showcased in a song like "Beyond The Reach Of Arms," which really is a very decent pop song. However then he dances and it becomes hard to take him too seriously again. When he wasn't holding the guitar, he danced around like a poor man's Morrissey, arms flailing, totally tongue in cheek. Hillarious.

Photos: Monster Bobby @ Lee's Palace on flickr
Myspace: Monster Bobby
Listen: The entire CD, entitled "Gaps" can be heard on lastfm.