Loaded up Maw in the buckboard, signed Granny up to set with the youngin’ and headed into the “Big City” for a sho’ enough free concert by that purdy little English girl, Beth Orton. (okay, enough with the goofy accent)
Had a real good dinner, hit the amusment games and cashed in our tickets for plastic animals for the kid, then headed to The Garage (in the Reno Hilton) to see the free live show. I have a CD from Beth and enjoy everything I hear of hers on the radio, so I was expecting a good show, and I got one, but not how I was expecting it.
While waiting for the show to start, a few people, dressed suspisiously like roadies, started to tinker with mikes, tune guitars and generally do roadie things. Then, all of a sudden, a woman steps up to the mike and starts singing. A voice so beautiful, you thought you were hearing angels! I didn’t know quite what to think, as nothing was said about an opening act.
Turns out it was a band call Hem. They did about 4-5 songs, acoustic with 2 guitars and sometimes mandoline and keyboard and vocals. It was shockingly pretty work. I found it hard to discribe, and comparing it to Cowboy Junkies is about as close as I can come, because , it was almost indiscribable! Hauntingly beautiful stuff. The singer’s voice (her name is Sally) is one of the best I can say I have heard.
I bought thier CD, and they were cool enough to sign them for people. Real nice package. Even better music. Not for everyone, but I found it to be great, even excellant. Check out thier website at www.rabbitsongs.com (I’m not very good at cipherin’ so as a result, this review might be as worthless as teets on a boar hog! 
)
Beth took the stage and did a real nice show, but the soundman killed it! Too loud, over-driven speakers (you could hear square waves clipping and harsh noise) and finally, partial system failure. At any rate, she and her band did a nice job, and all the hits were covered and we had a great time. She should have a bright future as she gains popularity over here.
But Hem stole the show in my opinion.
My pet suffers from dyslexia and a Christ complex.