The Australian beauty Sia headlined the Queen of the Valley stage at the recent All Points West Festival in Jersey City on Saturday, August 9th. Some of you may have heard her song “Breathe Me,” which has been featured in several television shows/movies, but did not know the artist. She is perhaps best known as the vocal talent of the group Zero 7, but has been making a name for herself on the solo circuit.
Her bandmates took the stage sporting matching outfits that included a t-shirt that read VOTE and some bright red pants. Sia on the other hand came out in what appeared to be a dress shirt and panties, but after introducing herself we came to learn that they were just “old fashioned pants.” A lighthearted Sia, then followed up with, “Do I have a cameltoe?” We’re pretty sure she didn’t.
Sia and the boys opened up with the hidden track Buttons, which is off her newest release Some People Have Real Problems. If you do not own this album, you should download it off iTunes ASAP or even better…if you get a chance to see her live at a city near you, by all means GO! You will not be disappointed, I promise.
The true beauty behind Sia is the raw emotion behind her lyrics. She sings what she feels, which is mostly a tale of love and love lost. She often mentions walking away to save herself while at the same time trying not to fall apart and then eventually learning how to love again. Who can’t relate to that? Her music really tugs on the heartstrings of her listeners. Her powerhouse vocals matched with the heartache behind her unconventional lyrics is simply brilliant.
Sia performed many tracks off of the new album, including “Academia,” “The Girl You Lost to Cocaine,” “Soon We’ll Be Found,” and “Little Black Sandals,” but she also surprised us with a new song from the album she is presently working on.
Sia comes across as a confident, sexy, yet quirky woman. Inviting us to dance with her or to cuddle up to the lonely person next to us, she even convinced her keyboardist Brian Lebarton to take his pants off! He will soon be returning to work with Beck Hansen. Maybe that’s why one lucky person actually walked away with his keyboard at the end of the show? Awesome!
Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
By the way, I really liked the mp3 posted. Thanks.
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “Picture yourself coasting your bike past space funk palm trees, homeless harpists, vintage video arcades, electronic drum circles, and 60s psychedelic singers who’re waiting for the bus. Cosmogramma is kinda like that if someone suddenly tripped you just as you’re starting to enjoy the ride. But in a good way.””
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
