Undoubtedly one of the finest vocalists alive, k.d. Lang sings with a clarity and dominance that is extremely rare. The Canadian-born singer has toyed with various genres throughout her long illustrious career and regardless of the results, her dynamic voice has always been at the helm of any project she's undertaken. The sheer range of that amazing voice is startlingly evident when heard in a live setting. And the near-capacity crowd at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall last Friday night who were treated to Lang's fine performance got stunning proof of that.
Taking the stage shortly after 9 p.m., Lang was joined by her current five-piece band, the Siss Boom Bang, and launched into "I Confess," one of the many fine tracks from her newest smooth, elegant record, Sing It Loud. The stage was adorned with massive free-standing spotlights and textured silver curtains. The look was that of a sound stage on a mid-1960's television variety show. Not gaudy but kitschy enough to suggest that miss Lang still has a firm grasp on her always healthy sense of humor. Clad in black western jacket and pants, black boots, a bright red scarf around her neck and an acoustic guitar slung on her back, Lang looked more like she was walking onto the set of an old cowboy flick than onto a concert stage. But when she belts it out, it's obvious that she's there to entertain — and that she does.
Mixing up styles and sounds is nothing new for k.d. And she successfully managed to create a setlist for Friday's performance that represented each and every genre she's flirted with throughout her career. The unabashed traditional country swing of "Western Stars" was as effective and intoxicating as the light dance pop of "Summer Fling." k.d. Lang is one of those rare artists who can make anything sound good once she opens her mouth and lets her finest instrument do the rest.
The strongest and most passionate ovation of the night came after Lang's stunning rendition of Leonard Cohen's haunting ballad "Hallelujah." Although the song has been covered by a variety of artists, Lang's reading is easily one of the most memorable and lovely I've heard. The song has become somewhat of a staple for k.d. in recent years and she obviously knows she can bring the house down when she starts to show off her vocal prowess during this particular number.
The main set-closing rendition of Lang's biggest charting single and her signature song, "Constant Craving" was another showstopper. Re-invented as a hard-hitting rock number instead of the mid-tempo ballad it's better known as, the song again brought the passionate crowd of mixed ages to its feet for another warm ovation. It's nice to see a performer who can simply rely on the beauty and range of her dynamic vocals taking chances and pushing the envelope and challenging themselves. k.d. Lang certainly does all those things … and does them well.
The two encores came much too soon but, in grand fashion, Lang offered more variety for her closing numbers. "Pay Dirt," a song dating back to her earliest days as an offbeat country barn singer in Canada, benefited from the entire band playing acoustic instruments while crowded around a lone old-timey microphone. It was a throwback to the days of hootenannies and hoedowns, and it recalled the era faithfully. The night's closing number was a gorgeous rendition of Louis Armstrong's "A Kiss To Build A Dream On," which Lang dedicated to Tony Bennett, the man she called her "mentor" who has also been a regular singing partner for her in recent years. Instantly, Lang was able to transform the hall from a barn to a sultry jazz club without batting an eye. Besides having the vocal chops to pull off such a feat, no other performer out there has the guts or the gumption to do so.
Setlist
1. I Confess
2. Summer Fling
3. The Water’s Edge
4. Miss Chatelaine
5. Sing It Loud
6. Heaven (Talking Heads cover)
7. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)
8. A Sleep With No Dreaming
9. Western Stars
10. Perfect Word
11. Habit of Mind
12. Reminiscing (Little River Band cover)
13. Sorrow Nevermore
14. Constant Craving
Encore
15. Pay Dirt
16. Sugar Buzz
Second Encore
17. Inglewood
18. A Kiss to Build A Dream On
This article appears in Oct 6-12, 2011.