Standing behind a group of 9-year-old girls wearing glittery eye shadow before the Natasha Bedingfield concert last Thursday at The Ritz Ybor, I felt reasonably apprehensive. [Text by Melanie, photos by Tracy.]
The Grammy-nominated Brit has enjoyed much chart success since 2004. Her "Less is More" tour made a stop in Tampa in support of her third studio album, Strip Me.
Singer-songwriter Andy Grammer had already begun his brief set by the time I got inside. He quickly won over the predominantly female audience with his conventional cuteness, poppy hooks, and a beat-boxed cover of Snow Patrol's 2006 hit "Chasing Cars." The set was super upbeat and harmless — prime material for AC radio material.
Actress-singer-songwriter Kate Voegele followed. Strapping on an acoustic guitar that looked twice her size, she played songs from her newest record, Gravity Happens. Voegele called "99 times" her "angry chick song." All of it came off as a little unconvincing. Seems like Voegele has gotten used to playing a musician on television rather than actually being one.
Around 9 p.m., Ms. Bedingfield made her way onto the stage to the sound of "Neon Lights," and accompanied by a drummer, guitarist, bassist and backup vocalist. I'd previously only ever caught snippets of her performances on television, which were highly choreographed and produced, and while this wasn't exactly stripped down, it was a comparably intimate setting, and she seemed immediately at home, singing with breathy ease and slinking across the stage in a bandage dress.
The set was very fluid, with little banter between songs. "These Words," "Little Too Much" and "All I Need" filled out the first half, with the most unexpected and enjoyable moment of the night arriving five songs in with a cover of The Police's "Message in a Bottle," thanks in great part to the tightness and technical ability of her backing band.
There was a lot of hand waving and fist pumping from the audience, particularly during the girl-power anthem "Single." The only time the set slowed down was during a mini-acoustic detour, in which Bedingfield and her guitarist sat down and played some softer tunes, including "A.N.G.E.L" (a soulful standout) and a cover of Madonna's "Ray of Light." A number of people took this opportunity to pay a visit to the bathroom or the bar.
When the band returned, they cranked out a cover of Prince's "Purple Rain." Ambitious? Definitely. Successful? Eh, that's debatable. The vocals overreached a tad, but it was definitely a crowd favorite. Bedingfield has undeniable stage presence. Watching her, you get the feeling that she's probably a pretty cool chick. She held hands with a couple of fans in the front row, and seemed to be enjoying herself as much as they were.
During the last half of the set, Bedingfield belted out the hits "Pocketful of Sunshine" and "Love Like This." As the show came to a close, she dismissed the prospect of an encore, calling them "fake," and instead introduced her last song and biggest hit, "Unwritten."
The motif of the evening was definitely one of sunshine and happiness. But Bedingfield was convincing. Endearing, even. And her performance was enough to make this music snob move.
Setlist
Neon Lights
These Words
Little Too Much
All I Need
Message in a Bottle (Police cover)
Single
I Bruise Easily
Strip Me
Can’t Fall Down
Run Run Run
A.N.G.E.L
Ray of Light (Madonna cover)
Soulmate
Wild Horses
Purple Rain (Prince cover)
Pocketful of Sunshine
Love Like This
Weightless
Recover
Unwritten
