This Is What You Get
LA-UNDERGROUND: LOS ANGELES LOVES YOU
 
Monday, November 29, 2004
This Is What You Get
I had never seen Laura Burhenn before last Saturday night. Her only previous appearance this side of the Mississippi was on the same stage a few months ago. On that night, amidst work deadlines and meetings, I arrived late, just as the last chord of a song melted into a crescendo of applause. Needless to say, I felt like the odd man out, having missed something obviously great. That wouldn't happen again when she returned for a one-off holiday visit where she warmed a nice intimate crowd of Angelenos who weren't bothered by the brisk East Coast-like weather... Beginning with "Helicopters" and "Memory," she immediately showed off her breathy seductive style, but then changed it up a bit with "Meltdown," which alluded to every fiery torch song I've ever loved. Then came "Just For the Night" (the definitive piano ballad if I ever did hear one), which sparked the biggest response from the crowd, mostly in the form of tears rolling down sides of cheeks. For added measure, she threw in a few covers ("Kharma Police" and "Chelsea Hotel #2"), both of which made my knees buckle... Wistfully poetic yet deeply sophisticated, Burhenn is absolutely magnetic.

Photos removed for bandwidth. Contact me if you'd like copies or go to http://la-underground.textamerica.com/.
Comments:
Thanks for reviewing this girl. I've been wanting to check her out for some time. You got me jealous now.
 
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