New York 1/2/08 - Petra Haden filled up the small, personal space at The Stone last night with a show involving mainly her and a loop machine. The violinist and sometime Decemberists member is indeed known for her a Capella explorations, most notably her home-recorded version of The Who Sell Out in its entirety.

On this particular evening she was gently accompanied by Cibo Matto’s Yuka Honda, with whom she is said to be in collaboration with on some unreleased songs.

In New York is was the coldest night yet of this winter season, so the audience was eager to huddle close and be soothed by hums and drones. Throughout, the show retained a casual air as Haden told random stories and joked about the difficulty of making small talk when in front of a live audience.

She seemed to be in a goofy sort of mood as she fumbled with her loop machine and wondered aloud which songs to play next and how long to stay on stage. This however did not detract from a performance that showcased her impressive vocal range and delicate layering skills.

Hearing her recordings is something remarkable in itself, with each part distinctly rendered by her gripping voice, a technique that adds new appreciation to the complexities of any song. In this live setting, the audience saw Haden create dense pieces by recording one part, looping it back, and repeating with harmonious variations. Her etchings would build upon one another until a thrillingly large sound was created and the listener forgot they were listening to just one woman’s voice. Honda’s contributions were subtle, but her tinkerings were pleasant in the background and served as embellishment to the numbers. It was really something special to see these creations performed live, and the evening also served as a lesson in how this unique musician crafts her sound.

God Only Knows:

I:

- By Liz Levine for The Stonewailer; lizardmccool@yahoo.com

Liz Levine works in publishing and is the co-editor of www.lizandlaura.com.