As Neko Case took the stage, I remembered an odd moment when she popped into my head (no gutter thoughts, people).
While driving through rural Vermont, the sounds of the marshes moving into spring carried me back to Marais La Nuit, the 30-minute field recording from the marsh on her farm which ends Middle Cyclone.
There were no signs of crickets at the half-full Cannery Ballroom Tuesday night, as Case and company poured on the roots and the powerhouse vocals. Starting from Things That Scare Me, Case glided through highlights of Fox Confessor and Middle Cyclone, with a few other gems mined for good measure.
Case fit the room she played; instead of a formal dress she sported at the Ryman, it was hooded sweatshirt and jeans for the Ballroom. That laidback vibe took a minute to catch on; sometimes it's easy for the Ryman to bolster its performers.
They dropped a few new songs seamlessly into the setlist. I expected more, but due to Case's membership in the New Pornographers, she averages three years between records, so this tour is probably the prologue for studio time. It's always nice to hear The Tigers Have Spoken worked into the mix. For some reason, the sheer volume of animal songs in Case's repertoire was on display. She doesn't get preachy with them.
Her delivery flawless, I come back to the moments I haven't worn out on CD, record or digital. The dustiness of The Pharaohs never fails to impress. Given the venue's name, it should not surprise that they broke out the biting Margaret vs. Pauline, in which one of the women loses fingers in a cannery.
I can't tell you about the encores, because Case finished the main set with This Tornado Loves You, her poignant, mighty intro on Middle Cyclone. The three-minute tune encapsulates all of what Case is capable with her voice and songwriting. After all, it's a song about a tornado in love with a human, and every second is riveting.
Whatever came after that world-changing shriek on "What will it take to believe me?" could not hope to eclipse it.
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