Witnessing four singers in action whose voices blend together so well is – to say the least – rare.
But the four women comprising Nashville-based Farewell Angelina performed with that type of vocal quality during a concert my wife, Wendy, and I were fortunate enough to attend last Thursday night at the Melba Performing Arts Center in downtown Houston. And it didn’t hurt that they were also dang good musicians.
Having been in their presence while they were working, I now fully comprehend why Rolling Stone magazine in September 2016 placed Farewell Angelina in a list of “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know.” This isn’t a foursome of karaoke experts or county fair “tribute to so-and-so” singers, but rather a quartet of accomplished music aficionados who have been around the block a time or two. In fact, they’ve each written tunes recorded by other country acts and provided vocal and instrumental assistance for them as well (some of those acts being of the very famous variety).
As they effectively brought a packed house in the Melba into their own musically lovely world for a precious while, they did so via a masterful collection of original songs and familiar covers during which they switched off as lead vocalists and shared instrumental priority with an amazing deftness. Based on where they each stood on the Melba stage, starting from left, here’s an individual breakdown based on about two hours of hearing them play.
Nicole Witt. One of the group’s two violin players (’scuse me, make that fiddle), this Springfield (Mo.) native brings a unique voice to her microphone that delivers verses, hooks and bridges in a captivatingly thick and breathy style. During songs where she plays her almost 100-year-old instrument (once played professionally by her grandfather), she uses what I would call a “long swing” (like that of a baseball power hitter) that results in big, beautiful notes and passages.
She’s a truly sturdy vocalist and musician who breathes a special form of life into the group’s product.
Lisa Torres. This Los Angeles County (Calif.) native goes at her microphone with a straightforward, precise, sometimes loud approach that demands attention from the listener. She has a knack for making tantalizing runs or changes in inflexion at just the right moment.
Her guitar work is equally straightforward, and is ideal as one of the two six-string additions to the overall package.
Basically, when she sings, you want to hear it, and when she plays you want to feel it.
Andrea Young. A native of Illinois, across the river from St. Louis (she calls herself an “honorary Missourian”), she chimes in vocally with crystal-clear annunciation and a sweet, silky deliverance that’s almost like the icing on the Farewell Angelina cake. She’ll look right at people and connects with a crowd by exuding a loving kindness that’s hard not to be attracted to.
When it’s her turn to pick up the fiddle, her playing is comprised of a more compact series of strokes and takes a very impactful position over the course of many songs. It’s almost like she takes over at times, but in an entirely non-invasive manner.
Lauren Lucas. The other guitar player in the group, this native of Columbia, S.C., might have put her instrument down twice the whole night. Her playing – both chords and picking – created a foundation on which numerous layers of vocals and other instrumentals could firmly rest.
And her voice represented a stalwart component of many songs, both when she held the lead position and sang along with a friend (or two or three). Her delivery was full of power, versatility and grace, and amounted to a low-register fan’s delight reminiscent of a cross between Chloe Kohanski (The Voice Season 13 winner), Cher and Joan Baez.
But beyond their multi-layered and compelling God-given musical talents, all four of these women display several traits that make them an even more enjoyable source of entertainment.
For one, it’s extremely obvious they like what they do – a lot. The smiles that so often grace their faces are by no means gratuitous or “painted on.”
If nothing else, that simply puts the audience at ease.
Secondly, it’s plain to see they like being an ensemble. Throughout their performance, you could see each one standing back at times and taking the opportunity to experience the excellence they were working with.
For each member of the group, it was obvious that being a four-part, but simultaneously singular musical entity was a labor of love with little actual labor involved – it’s clearly all natural and never forced.
Thirdly, they’re also pretty humorous. Between many songs (and even during others), they sort of took turns taking jabs at each other, making fun of themselves and generally yucking it up with the crowd. They even got the crowd singing at one point, which resulted in laughter and applause emanating from both the stage and seating area.
As for the Melba itself, I’m going to say that the significant amount of money put into its restoration over the past couple of years didn’t go to waste. That place is about as fine a venue to hear a musical performance as you could want.
As soon as we sat down, we could feel the cozy warmth of the room’s atmosphere. Then as the ladies took the stage and began their top-notch first set, it was obvious that the sound system was more than worthy, and filled the room with clean, undistorted sound.
Each voice and each instrument was clearly audible and the mix was spot-on, with none too high or too low, but each presented in perfect conformity with the rest. And the lighting was just right for the moment; my wife even commented on how it gave the ladies a “soft” appearance, and provided them an them a fitting ambiance in which to execute their appointed tasks.
Basically, it was almost like attending a fine show in an overgrown living room.
And this review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the phenomenal job done by event organizers and hosts Richard and Linda Wood. The Woods met Farewell Angelina a few years back on a country music cruise headlined by Alabama, and bringing them to Houston was – in my estimation – an accomplishment that may not soon be matched.
“Some day when they’re really famous, people will say they’re disappointed they weren’t at the show,” Richard said.
“Yeah, but others – like me and you – will be able to say we were there,” I said.
And the “after party” at Pizza Express certainly added to what was already an amazing night. Of course, since Linda had prepared an incredible lineup of salads, fruits, desserts to compliment a whole bunch of outstanding pizza, it was off to a good start before it began.
But throw in the musical guests of honor, and it became a very memorable situation. For what seemed like a long time, the four stood together having photos taken with visitors, and then signed the pictures after they were printed up on the spot.
“I really don’t see how this whole thing could have gone any better,” Richard said.
Roger that, my man. This was one for the ages.
I heard Farewell Angelina might play in Springfield at some point in the not-too-distant future. Two words: I’m there.
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald.
Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.
