Friday, April 1st 2005 - It almost looked painful for White. Shortly after 8:00pm, the scheduled start to her evening at Roca Jack's, she shyly began to cover a Celine Dion song. It didn't last long. White, a talented folk musician who also boasts a keen ear for good music, couldn't bring herself to carry on. She apologized to the audience for the intended April Fool's prank and then cut into an energetic version of 'Sobriety,' a song off her recent demo release 'What's New.' It was a precursor to what would prove to be an intimate and stirring evening.
White's tight two-set performance was riddled with old and new songs from her own catalogue, as well as several covers that White delivered with her own personal touches. The first of the latter came early, with White putting a spell over her audience as she played 'Simple Man.' White's voice bled into the microphone and filled the air, and it was evident as she continued on that this was a night her voice would own. Soon White was tearing into an old song of hers, 'On the run,' which boasts a driving guitar beat and an incessantly catchy chorus. As White sang 'Something tells me we haven't seen the end of it all' I found goose-bumps covered my arms. A friend I brought to check out this young talent leaned to me and asked 'did she write this?' I nodded, and my friend nodded back with an impressed grin.
White's first set ended off with a rousing cover of 'The Messenger.' It was a slow burn, White patiently let energy gather as she crept through the first verse in a near-whisper. When White sang 'You could almost touch heaven right there in front of you' to start the second verse, her voice easily overpowered the distant chatter of a group in the far corner of the café. They each turned their head towards her and listened as White's vocals pushed the air out of the room and left everyone in attendance holding their breath in awe. White's first set ended in a burst of applause and after a short break she was at it again.
'Road Song' started off her second-set, and as I listened I was transported to a nameless highway, heading towards the sun, with the top down, with the wind rushing against my face and through my hair, with my fingers tapping the steering wheel, hoping that the road ended before her song. After this White continued with 'Exhale,' another brilliant song she has chosen to keep off her 5 track demo, hopefully saving it for a full-length effort. Perhaps the most captivating moment of the night came when White, after one of her many gregarious pauses to chat with the audience, covered a Tom Waits song, 'In Between Love.' It was four minutes of atmosphere and soul, another song where White rose above the original on the strength of her unwearied, effortless delivery. It's like listening to the wind sing. White then powered through the crowd-favourite 'Renegade' and a breathy, gorgeous power-ballad entitled 'More than a love song.'
I come to a realization. This is how White should be heard. Yes, if you can't see her live than an excellent alternative is to listen to her demo. But, if you don't see her live you'll be missing something extraordinary. The breadth of her vocals is startling. White moves from sweet to powerful to profound with an ease that defies explanation. Her originals are best heard live. Stripped down, White's songs are raw and soulful, her voice piercing, soothing, and undeniable. As for the covers, I would rather listen to White's version of 'The Messenger,' of 'Simple Man,' of most anything she belts out than the original. My friend agreed with me after the show. Why is this? White's voice is remarkable, yes, but that's not the only thing. She is a talented musician too, but she doesn't stand alone in this respect.
After my hands met thunderously together when the show finished with another cover that could have been hers ('Change' by Blind Melon) I see what it is: her passion. Each song she sings, whether hers or someone else's, is infused with it. I walk up to Lindsey after the show with my friend, who wanted to meet her. White, gracious as ever, thanks her endlessly for taking the time out to come and see someone she didn't know. My friend, who spent the night falling in love with White's music, smiled warmly and replied 'No, thank you.'
~ Dave Robertson
(My Heart will go on?)
Sobriety
**Cornered**
Simple Man
Epitoh Me
**?On the Run?** (footswitch)
**Turn**
Messenger
Road Song - (capo 1)
**Exhale**
In Between Love (Capo 1)
Renegade
**20/20**
More than a Love Song
Change
{BACK}