I was originally scheduled to go to a free press dinner on Thursday night, but the prospect of seeing Diane Birch for the second time in as many weeks was too much to pass up. Write it down, folks: Diane Birch is better than a free meal.
After catching Birch in a loungey mood at Highline Ballroom the previous week in New York, I was taken by surprise to find the Church of Birch in near-hoedown form. Her trumpet player demolished his chops on solos, while Diane sang the hooks with a combination of sweetness and soul. A cover of Hall and Oates' "Rich Girl" was a highlight, as was the upbeat "Choo Choo." As for the free dinner and drinks? I couldn't have made a better choice.
