Celebrity Concert Review

One of our not so frequent contributors, the ubiquitous TT has submitted the following. In an attempt to pander to the masses:

Be Good Tanya’s Belly Up Tavern,
May 18, 2007 Solana Beach, CA.

I first heard the BGT’s on NPR’s “All things considered” about 6 months ago; NPR will occasionally feature artists with a distinctive sound and try to give them broader exposure. To be sure, they have a distinctive acoustic sound using guitars, harmonica, violin, bass, and mandolin to their most clever advantage. But when combined with the blended harmonies and thoughtful lyrics, the female trio really sets themselves apart and above most other artists in this category. I suppose the best categorization is alternative country, but give a listen and decide for yourself.


Now, I am not a music snob by any means; I represent the mainstream of middle-aged, middle-class, middle-America. Artists like.Norah Jones and Jack Johnson have done very well with this, my segment, because their acoustic sounds are comforting, but still retain personality. The industry intelligentsia may rail against such artists because they are not sufficiently edgy or arcane, but this music scratches an itch for a customer segment that is still comfortable paying $15 for a CD rather than downloading mp3’s of dubious origin. I was hopeful the BGT’s would show me something to keep me hooked.


The Belly Up is a great bar venue to see a band; located 2 blocks from the beach in a laid-back southern California beach town, the Belly Up has good food, cheap tickets, and better than average selections of bourbon, beer and tequilia. In California, smoking isn’t permitted in such venues, so you can see the stage without the filter of cigarette haze, and not have blood-shot eyes the entire next day.


The ladies were fairly reserved for the first several songs. I became nervous for them as they stuck to standard versions of their albums with little or no improvisation. I’d hoped to see some personality, some spark, or some of the back-porch feel that is so evident in their music come through in the concert performance. Still, maybe it is too early in the life cycle of the band to play games with the music’s essence, at least until more people become acquainted with them. Because the music is so dependent on the strength of their vocals and harmonies, and they don’t hide behind electronics, the ladies hydrated frequently. It was then that hope-for-personality assertively raised its head; two of the Tanya’s were hydrating with red wine. I relaxed a bit. They were artists who were trying to strike a balance between enjoying themselves, cultivating a following, and respecting the casual listener. And they were doing a fine job.

As the set went on, they engaged each other and the crowd in conversation. At one point, the ladies were in animated agreement as to their unrequited attraction to Jeff Tweedy. They were showing some personality and were getting closer to the back-porch feel. I enjoyed the remainder of the show with a tumbler full of good tequilia in bare feet.

The band is touring to support their third indie album. They have published and performed enough original material so that the performances can each have its own flavor. I’d encourage you to catch them while they’re still playing smaller venues like the Belly Up as the setting is a natural complement to their music. But, once the fans of Norah Jones, John Meyer, and Jack Johnson catch on to the BGT’s, the ticket prices will jump and the venues will be far more up-scale.