I reached The Hammersmith Apollo with mixed feelings on what to expect. Accompanied by my girlfriend Rebecca, we booked a hotel room right around the corner from the venue, as I was keen not to get lost afterwards. I wanted a romantic evening and was unsure as to whether she would enjoy Norah Jones, yet at the same time I was itching to start singing along to every word throughout the show. I’ve been a massive Norah Jones fan since her debut album, Come Away With Me, and think that there is a place for her in everyone’s CD/iPOD collection.
Lets face it; Norah Jones is no rock chick. She doesn’t blow you away with teenage angst or thrashy, overdriven barre chords accompanied by a scathing, raspy voice. If you want that, go and see a grunge band. There are plenty out there. Norah Jones however, is in a niche of her own, and what she lacks in angst or adrenaline, she makes up for in musicianship, endearment, portrayal and romance.
The show begins with M. Ward – the very impressing solo support act, I’m hasten to add – being sneakily accompanied by Jones onstage for three songs. A nice touch I think to myself, giving the audience a sly taste of the angelic voice to come. I’m feeling agitated, constantly looking over at my girlfriend, hoping she hasn’t fallen asleep. She hasn’t, and I needn’t have worried. The minute Jones comes onstage with a guitar slung over her shoulder and begins the first chords of ‘Come Away With Me’, my girlfriend is caught. Jones has pulled off her usual party trick and captured everyone in the room. It is a big room.
There are many words I could use to describe the songs that follow and the set as a whole. It is funny, ironic, heartfelt, heartbreaking, political, melancholy, romantic, peaceful, upbeat and organic. The sheer connection between Jones and the Handsome Band is incredible. Jones, winner of eight Grammy awards, seller of over eight million albums and daughter of Ravi Shankar, is beautiful and sultry, with hair like black silk curled and draped over her shoulders. She looks fantastic onstage (even at this impressive distance, which is about 30 rows back) in her gorgeous white prairie dress, sat opposite her love, the grand piano. With a very accomplished and disciplined guitarist in Adam Levy and Daru Oda on backing vocals (and god knows what other instruments Daru played that night, there were so many), I find myself struggling to sing along. My Jaw has dropped. A close friend of mine once described her voice as ‘that of an angel’, and I don’t believe he was far wrong. When I ‘pop my clogs’ I will genuinely be happy to be greeted at the pearly gates by ‘Humble Me’ or ‘Wish I Could’. In the words of Gram Parsons – who Jones occasionally and impeccably covers on tour – She sure can sing.
Jones’s voice and piano sit well within the confines of the group as a whole. I use the term ‘confines’ loosely because there isn’t much the band cannot do. They range throughout the set from touches of jazz and blues to country and even stretch to dreamlike outro’s and sprinkles of genius ‘off the cuff’ Call and Response. Accompanied by a mesmeric circling, flashing, soft-then-stark, red, blue, yellow orange, star-studded spotlight show, the crowd are treated to a real show. This set is the whole package. Jones and The Handsome Band effortlessly become at one with the crowd like a warm touch to a cold hand.
Two fantastic covers are played during the set. The Dixie Chicks ‘I’m Gonna Get You Yet’ and Tom Waits ‘Long Way Home’. Both are thoroughly enjoyable, showing two totally different sides to the band. Jones’s dancing around during the guitar solo on ‘I’m Gonna get You Yet’ adds a tongue-in-cheek feel to the proceedings. One of the highlights of the night follows next. A solo and completely enthralling, ironic and political ‘My Dear Country’ draws a collective, knowing chuckle from the crowd after she offers her views on the current political state of America with the line ‘who knows, maybe his plans will change, who knows, maybe he’s not deranged’. Hmm, I wonder whom she is referring to? Clever girl. Not just a pretty voice.
Throughout the evening, Norah shows her versatility as a musician, and how much she has developed as an artist since her 2002 debut. She moves and enchants her way through all her big hits (and all my personal favourites) with ease, playing acoustic and electric guitars, piano and Wurlitzer, whilst combining a range of melodic styles, to produce a very pleasing set list. Drummer Andrew Borger and Jones’s partner and unsung double-bassist, Lee Alexander provides the backbone and stability of the band, with embellishments here and there, of course.
The main set ends with a foot-stomping version of ‘Creepin’ In’, featuring M. Ward singing Dolly Parton’s half of the country/bluegrass duet, which brings me out in goosebumps. I am over the moon however, to see the band return to treat us to a few more beauties, the encore finishing with Jones asking the crowd which song we would like to hear last. ‘Don’t Know Why’ gets the biggest cheer. Norah Jones and The Handsome Band nail it.
Fans of Norah Jones are served a gift of a show. With instrument embellishment and impeccable musicianship aplenty, it is sheer lay-in-the-bath-with-a-glass-of-red-wine bliss. She sure can sing, and -needless to say - my girlfriend agrees.
