A Monday event that was put together very quickly once I heard Laura was going to be visiting Hong Kong, big thanks to Backstage for hosting the event and huge love to Shirley for opening the show. It was well worth it and we hope to do more of these Art of Music events in the future.
love Chris B xx
Shirley Choi
1. Happy Diamond
2. Happiness
3. Hold On to Your Dreams
4. Silent Tears
5. Untitled Song
6. Forever Promise
7. Telephone – Lady Gaga (cover)
8. Spanish Circle
Shirley Choi was a fine opener for this early Monday evening event. Kicking off with Happy Diamond which is a solo instrumental piece played on piano adapted from an orchestral score that Shirley had written and performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 2011. Along the same theme of happiness, Shirley’s second song is an approachable piece with many recognizable pop elements and the type of refrains that would lend itself as a TV show theme song. This song, dedicated to her spouse, has shades of ragtime jazz elements restrung into a pleasing piece that has the feeling of a lady’s voice reaching out to you from a 1930s live stage.
Shirley has a gift for musical imagery and just enough variety for a pleasant listen. The songwriting is proper with catchy and pop driven melodies, which will always have a place in someone’s collection. Perhaps she will get picked up as a Disney songwriter someday.
For the last few songs, Shirley had an accompanying guitarist, who could have used a bit more rehearsal as the occasional bum notes were somewhat of a distraction. Shirley plays pretty music and her description of each song paints a visual to imagine as you listen to her music.
– Christopher Johnson
Laura Weinbach (USA美國)
1. Shades of Grey
2. Don’t Look Down
3. Watch Me
4. Little Person (cover)
5. La Vie En Rose (cover)
6. Perf Exec
7. Last Still Standing
8. Winter’s Feat
9. Not in the Xmas Mood
Down the rabbit hole with the whimsical song-crafting of Laura Weinbach on her debut gig in Asia. Laura’s enthralling soprano melodies over deft classical guitar lines are reminiscent of ancient Celtic or lute music from ages past. Laura has her hands full with her very active finger-style classical guitar playing. Listening to her well-conceived lyrical poetry makes one feel as if a long lost melody found its way through an open window and somehow it knows your name. There’s a timeless feel to Laura’s songwriting, filled with more heartfelt creativity than catchy pop-isms. Although diminutive in stature and unassuming offstage, during her solo performance she takes on a larger than life persona that engages you unerringly. The guitar voicing is the other Laura, a second vocal harmony of sorts. She blends her singing voice and guitar phrasing so that the resulting harmonies give you the sense of two singers on stage.
When Laura performed two covers of classic French romance/jazz songs, her singing voice & guitar blended better than most anything that solo artists would subject us to, blissfully original and charismatic. This is the kind of talent you HOPE TO SEE and hear at acoustic jams and coffee shops, but often get disappointed. Laura really has the kind of timeless talent that draws you out as a listener. She’s the sort of act you want to tell your friends that they MUST see and hear for themselves. Let’s hope Laura returns to Hong Kong one day with the full combo of Foxtails Brigade although we would gladly settle for just Laura on her own again.
Christopher Johnson
Poster by Stan T
Photos by Chris B
海報由Stan T。
由Chris B攝影。
