#2 Ingrid Michaelson

I have a confession. I really didn't go to the Ingrid Michaelson concert to see Ingrid. I was all about David Ford (see previous post). Don't get me wrong, I was happy that she was playing too. When I am working, I create channels on Rhapsody so that there is always music floating around the studio. Rhapsody lets me pick up to ten bands/musicians, plays the musicians on the list, and then takes some liberties in playing similar artists. Ingrid was on my most recent list, even before I knew David Ford was touring with her. For anyone that might possibly care, or more for my own recollection, my most recent list is:

Rilo Kiley, The Bird And The Bee, Rogue Wave, Ingrid Michaelson, A Band of Bees, I'm From Barcelona, Manchester Orchestra, The Acorn, The Raconteurs, and Vampire Weekend.

For the most part I've been happy with the variety.

Anyway, back to Ingrid Michaelson. I am a fan of performers who interact with the audience. I want to feel like I am experiencing something different by seeing someone live, instead of listening to their CD. Ingrid is the queen of chatting in between, and even during, songs. The tone of her singing voice is very demur and subdued, so it was a nice mix when she joked around with the crowd, showing a flirtatious, easily amused, naughty side.

Here is Ingrid trying to encourage audience participation, and channeling Fiddy's In Da Club:

I was also impressed with just how good her voice sounded live. With fancy computers that can alter any sound, it seems like almost any cute girl chewing bubble gum can record an album. Even the bubble gum itself could probably lay down at least one track. Ingrid doesn't need any computer enhancement. I would see her again, even without David Ford.

The Way I Am:

Die Alone:

Ingrid Michaelson's website: http://www.ingridmichaelson.com/

Her MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/ingridmichaelson

There was one more act that weekend, who opened for David Ford and Ingrid Michaelson, and that was Matthew Perryman Jones. I am assuming MPJ for those who say his name a lot. It was a great night of music, because MPJ was more impressive than most opening acts. He instantly reminded me, and Mr. Fan, of Matt Costa, so if you like this clip of Save You, you may want to Google Matt Costa too.

#1 David Ford

Tap tap tap. This thing on? Excellent. I will now commence to talk to myself.

So, I know some people who are not quite as obsessed with music as I am. For those people, I want to use the element of surprise, throw a burlap sack over them, tie them up and deposit them at a David Ford concert. No people would be harmed with this experiment. My theory is once they see him live, they will be converted.

Even if my hostage chooses to ignore David's intelligent lyrics, his fancy foot pedals, and his fantastic voice, they would immediately be impressed with his intensity. David Ford practically rips out his heart as he is singing, laying it out for the audience to see. David Ford is not harmed during his performances either. See for yourself what I'm talking about:

This is State of the Union:

And this one is a brand new song, which I assume is called To Hell with the World, but I am kind of partial to Honour in Choosing Defeat:

I have had the opportunity to see him in concert four times, and he is always phenomenal. I have spoken to him twice, for a total of approximately a half a second (that's practically bff, right?), and both times he was extremely gracious. The night I took these videos, when I asked if he minded if I recorded him, he pleasantly replied, "Not at all."

He'll be back in Boston in April at The Paradise Rock Club.

His website is: http://www.davidford.mu/