Lizzie Violet hosted another Cabaret Noir packed house. Q Space has done a bit of spring renovating – shifting the books shelves into the back space which makes for a warmer sound for the performers and gives the shows more of salon feeling.
After some excellent open stagers (including me) first feature Brandon Pitts, did a dynamic set. He has a great physical sense of the stage – stepping on & off it, crouching, standing tall, reaching out – all fitted carefully but naturally into the flow of his words. His writing is verbally rich with religious and pop images that rush to give momentary pictures and scenes ‘the veil that touched your hand as you reached for the cross,’ ‘a number tattooed on his chest as an ISP,’ ‘the customized Bible delivered with a rifle.’
After a break we were treated to Canadian rock troubadour Nelson Sobral. His songs had a sweetly retro feel to them – dashes of Poco, Emitt Rhodes, even a dash of Led Zeppelin – a lot of bases for a solo performer to cover. He has a smooth, solid voice that hit the right emotional notes in his compelling songs. His guitar playing is masterful – very rhythmic, never show-offy & alway enhanced his song, rather than merely strummed behind them or over-whelmed them. Plus he was a delight for my eye.
Final feature was Bella Fox. A sassy, saucy burlesque performer who did a captivating turn – zipping & unzipping to Gypsy violin music then teasing and tormenting with fine fan dance work. Even a die hard homo like me would have enjoyed more than one number by her.
spring springing March 25, 2013
TOpoet 
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A great evening of poetry, music and burlesque at the second edition of the monthly Lizzie Violet’s Cabaret Noir on Sunday night. Take a look what poet/writer Duncan Armstrong had to say…