Rachael Yamagata!

Just came back from the Rachael Yamagata concert I was so excited about. And she did not disappoint!! Honestly, FOB really paled in comparison to Rachael Yamagata (RY). Or maybe I'm just biased cuz I'm a big RY fan haha. But really, tonight's concert felt more personal and sincere, cuz of all the audience interaction and quality performances. Her voice was superb, even though she said she had a cold (she was coughing between verses on one song). That's one cold I wouldn't mind having, cuz she sounded really good haha. I think even better than on CD.

I really enjoy concerts that are intimate, at smaller venues, and that aren't so rowdy. The acoustics are better, and you feel even closer to the singer. RY really made an effort to let the audience know her better, cuz of all the funny banter and interaction. Like about her past relationships and her experiences during the recording of her album. She also revealed some of the inspiration behind her songs, which helped me appreciate the song even more cuz at least I know the context. This also helped the audience to really see her as a person, and not just as a voice, albeit a really good one haha.

Even though she had a cold, and was really suffering after the 25-hour flight (she looked super chui up close, like with puffy eyes and all), her performances were still top-notch, especially those quiet songs where it's just her and her piano/guitar. You can hear all the raw emotion coming through. There was a good mix of songs too, with both quiet and noisier numbers (complete with a full band, including a cellist).

This one's about her intending to cheat on her boyfriend ("evil thoughts"), but not doing so in the end.

I only managed to take a few videos, cuz I didn't want to get scolded by the Esplanade ushers. And it's a pity my camera's zoom isn't very powerful, so I couldn't get a nice shot of her performance :( I did catch her up close during the autograph session though, and as you can see, she looks seriously messed up haha.

All in all, tonight's concert was seriously the best I've ever been to. It's the little personal touch that made the difference, cuz if I only wanted to hear songs I'd rather listen to the CD than go to the concert. If anything, this concert made me a bigger fan! It made me want to rush home and start listening to all her songs again haha. And of course, I can't wait for RY to perform in Singapore again!

It's not about geography or happenstance
Your need to fly and take a chance
Your need to shine to emptiness
And float on high and forever dance alone