Alice Russell + Lovewhip + Miss Fairchild - Middle East Upstairs (Cambridge, MA; Mar. 7, 2009)

In what shaped up to be a Middle East funk-fest, Miss Fairchild, Lovewhip, and Alice Russell each put a distinct spin on the genre. Miss Fairchild, a group compiled in Nantucket, delivered not limericks but similarly playful pop grooves led by front man and Prince-enthusiast Daddy Wrall. Utilizing backing tracks of beats and brass sections, the band delivered what one might call “Sunday Morning Funk,” or the manner of tunes you’d listen to if you wanted to get down without getting dirty. The essentials were there: sparse electric guitar riffs, a fellas/ladies call and answer chorus, and even a flute performance, which called to mind Ron Burgundy’s Anchorman antics. Wrall’s popping, locking and pelvic gyrations complemented Miss Fairchild’s ditties, often referencing “all the ladies” as the gentlemen bopped their way through the set.

Lovewhip hit the stage next, presenting the first electric violin of the evening and calling to mind the most recent No Doubt singles. Lovewhip’s Gwen Stefani-equivalent, Erin Harpe, was backed by bass, drums, violin, and synthesized pop beats. Their version of funk combined aspects of reggae and ska, and while there was little dynamism in most songs, there were plenty of repetitious loops and addictive hooks that kept toes tapping and bodies swaying. Lovewhip’s style was perhaps best encapsulated in their final number, the electropoppy “Virtual Booty Machine.”

Two acts in, UK-based songstress Alice Russell made it perfectly clear that whatever authentic soul was missing in the pop-stylings of the previous groups had arrived. Russell opened her set with the bluesy “Two Steps,” from her latest album, Pot of Gold, unleashing both her powerful voice and fiery personality as she stomped her high-heeled feet to the beat. Russell certainly didn’t shy away from grit, as her vocal runs ran the gamut of throaty rasp through precise finesse. Her band, centrally comprised of bass, drums, and electric guitar, also enjoyed the enhancement from the occasional electric violin, keys, and synthesizer. The talented musicians fell into the pocket early on, and grooved their way through to the final songs.

Lifestyles aside, it’s tough not to include Russell and Amy Winehouse in the same conversation. Both English leading ladies pack a punch despite their petite frames, and do so effortlessly from some sort of internal soul reservoir. That said, an integral aspect of any genuine soul sister’s show is the background harmonies, which were filled in beautifully and in smoky fashion from her supporting cast. The use of violin was surprisingly effective amidst such funky surroundings, especially in “Let Us Be,” when the methodically plucked strings filled the space in stylings similar to Andrew Bird. The song also kicked the tempo up a few notches, and Russell embodied the mood shift into a veritable “old school” mode fitting of the 60s convolution of blues and rock.

Russell et al. then treated the crowd to a cover of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” which, while not showcasing any particular talents, was fun to witness so far outside its genre of origin. Fittingly, the fivesome departed the stage after a particularly riveting rendition of “End of the Road,” although Russell herself noted that the title was far from appropriate. The band reappeared for their encore clad in leopard-spotted bathrobes and though the vocal rigors of the show had taken their toll on Russell’s voice, she made the Middle Easterners in attendance feel “Got A Hunger” in their gut before leaving us for good. Like any genuine songbird, Russell used her best stuff sparingly, slamming the far reaches of her range and invoking the kind of collective “woah” that occurs when a group of people witnesses something exceptional.

Witness something exceptional, if recorded!
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