Yesterday the first annual Seattle Folk Festival took place at the Town Hall.
If bands played all day long in this half church-half theatre room, I only came in the evening to attend Alela Diane's set, who was indeed one of the two headliners of the festival along with the Québécois folk band, Le Temps d'Antan.
If bands played all day long in this half church-half theatre room, I only came in the evening to attend Alela Diane's set, who was indeed one of the two headliners of the festival along with the Québécois folk band, Le Temps d'Antan.
Being a big fan of Alela Diane's music and having seen her perform many times in Paris - she seems actually better known in France than in the USA - I was really enthusiastic to attend another of her shows, but I was also excited to hear her new material and see her play with her new band, Wild Divine.
Indeed, the graceful young woman just finished recording her third album which should be released towards April, 2011, and on which will be most of the songs performed yesterday by Alela and her band, made of her father on guitar and mandolin, her husband on guitar and two folks from Seattle on bass and drums.
Alela's father, Tom Menig
Alela's father, Tom Menig
Again, her show moved me as they always did.
Not only Alela's voice was splendid, but also her performance conveyed a great impression of humility and humanity. Maybe the fact of having members of her family on stage by her sides helps her to feel more comfortable and confident, but I have the impression that she is a very natural and humble person, far from behaving like a diva, which is also one of the reasons why I admire her so much.
Not only Alela's voice was splendid, but also her performance conveyed a great impression of humility and humanity. Maybe the fact of having members of her family on stage by her sides helps her to feel more comfortable and confident, but I have the impression that she is a very natural and humble person, far from behaving like a diva, which is also one of the reasons why I admire her so much.
I really liked the fact that her role on stage among the band wasn't the only one I was used to: when she doesn't play the guitar, on some songs she plays the keyboard and on others, she doesn't play any instrument, which allows her to show more easily the power in her voice.
If her new material is very different than her previous work because more rock and poppy and less folky - not in a negative way though - her songwriting remains the same: tales of beloved people and places, stories about true and pure feelings.
If her new material is very different than her previous work because more rock and poppy and less folky - not in a negative way though - her songwriting remains the same: tales of beloved people and places, stories about true and pure feelings.
As usual, I'm being too positive...not for long though!
Yesterday, the sound at the Town Hall was really disappointing.
Indeed, the drums were too loud and bumpy, Alela's mic too loud on some songs and the guitars too low.
Of course the Town Hall gave a mystical dimension to the show, which might have also been the reason why the audience was very quiet and timid, but Alela Diane would have deserved a better treat as far as sound and acoustic, most of all for a premiere in presenting her new songs with Wild Divine.
Yesterday, the sound at the Town Hall was really disappointing.
Indeed, the drums were too loud and bumpy, Alela's mic too loud on some songs and the guitars too low.
Of course the Town Hall gave a mystical dimension to the show, which might have also been the reason why the audience was very quiet and timid, but Alela Diane would have deserved a better treat as far as sound and acoustic, most of all for a premiere in presenting her new songs with Wild Divine.
If I'm seeing this show as a test for the band - test that I've been glad to be attending - I'm really enthusiastic about the album being released and about her tour being "officially" launched because I already can't wait for the next time I will see Alela Diane perform again, whether in France or in the USA, in a real room, where her talent will be as much emphasized as it deserves to be.
A.C.
