Feist

Feist, Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 17 February 2007

First of all, a piece of advice. If you're collecting money for charity at the line for a Feist concert and you hear someone speaking in a vaguely North American accent, chances are they're Canadian. Just as a general matter of course, it's not good to start conversation by asking: "So, which part of the US are you from, then?" There's a good chance abuse will be hurled at you and your name will be cursed forever.

There was an opening act to this. I vaguely remember it. It was a one-man band. Some guy called Dr. something. It must have offended something, for my mind seems to have blocked the details from memory.

Feist played material from her new album, The Reminder. I'd say Feist is the right side of quirky. I liked all the rhythm lines and riffs, but I kinda got the feeling that, despite her instantly recognizable voice, she doesn't really have a distinctive style of her own, so I kept being reminded of bits of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the White Stripes, the Zutons, Alison Goldfrapp and Eva Cassidy, among others. Her mellow stuff is better than her more upbeat, rocky songs. And, of course, we always welcome a new rendition of Mushaboom to end the evening.