The evening began with the crowd seated in front of a blue lit stage as Daniel Harper opened the show. His soulful, breathy voice and playful, flirtatious facial expressions gave off a sexy-singer/songwriter, Amos Lee-esque vibe, and the audience was clearly enjoying it. Between songs, he was sincere and lighthearted, joking that he wanted to get to know us all better, and maybe we could go out for coffee some time.
During intermission, the audience rose to their feet and began vying for the best position to see the headliners. Over the Rhine took the stage, and I must confess, compared to the vitality of Harper’s stage presence, I was underwhelmed by their energy for the first few songs. But as the set progressed, I was won over by their secret weapon: the passionate and dynamic vocal performance of lead singer Karin Bergquist.
Not that Over the Rhine is some one-trick pony. They’ve clearly paid their musical dues, which was evident in the apparent – even transparent – influences in their songwriting. Whether it was the driving blues of “No Kill Shelter,” or the old tent revival feel of “All My Favorite People Are Broken,” or the touch of country twang in “I’m On a Roll,” Bergquist and partner Linford Detweiler clearly have been drawing from the many wells of American roots music. But that is not to say that their sound was borrowed or gimmicky. Instead, these influences felt like an organic expression of both where the band has been and where they feel their strengths lie. When introducing the jazz-influenced epic “Infamous Love Song,” Detweiler said he wrote it in order to put Bergquist’s voice through the paces. And indeed, her delivery had a poignancy that echoed (dare I say it) Billie Holiday.
But Detweiler’s comment regarding Bergquist said a lot more than just what inspired his songwriting; it spoke to what is at the core of the band. At one point, Bergquist sang, “You provide the rhythm and I’ll provide the soul.” And that’s exactly what she does for Over the Rhine.
