I’ll take two things I like to do on a Friday night for $1,000, Alex.
Pink Martini is a local musical group that has made quite a name for itself for its eclectic style and musicianship. They’ve toured all over and recently sold out the Kennedy Center for all performances. Their music is a combination of foreign and American standards and restructured classical music. Storm Large (her real name) is presently touring with them while their regular singer (China Forbes) recovers from throat surgery. She’s much like her name: tall, buxom, lovely, wild, and unpredictable. Her song Eight Miles Wide caused quite a stir when it was released. It was a protest song about being uninvited from the Lilith Fair because she’s bisexual. She’s a presence on the stage that can’t be denied and is currently going through the production throes for an off-Broadway one-woman autobiographical musical.
We saw them last night here in Portland (to a sold-out audience, of course) and it was pretty riveting. They were backed up by the Oregon Symphony, which is also acclaimed, having recently received raved reviews for their performances at Carnegie Hall.
If you get a chance to see Pink Martini on tour, don’t miss it. Even without Storm Large, they are an outstanding group of talented folks.
Interesting. I know the Pink Martini’s or at least have heard their stuff and enjoy it. I think of them as cool, updated lounge music.
Storm Large got national play on that Rock Star show where they were looking to replace INXS’ leading singer years after Hutchence died. I doubt she ever had much of a change given INXS’ basic look, but her presence and her band Storm Large and the Balls and her song “What the Fuck” (sung as “What the What”) got airplay…
INXS was the first season of Rock Star. Storm was on the second season. She was auditioning to front a new supergroup called Supernova.
Storm used to have a regular gig at Dante’s Inferno Cabaret. I kept meaning to see it, but I never got around to it. I figured it would continue forever. After her national TV exposure, she became too popular for that club and it ended. She also performed in “Cabaret” locally and had a one woman show more recently. I didn’t see those either.
Pink Martini are awesome. Have seen their shows twice. They are slippery when it comes to classification: sometimes they are Lounge, sometimes World, sometimes Jazz. Doesn’t matter, it’s just great music.
What? When you say Pink Martini is a local group, you mean they hail from your place? Because they’re pretty well-known internationally (especially over here).
The band leader is from Portland, Oregon and the group is based here. He formed the group after running for Mayor, when he realized that all the event bands he was seeing really sucked. He met China Forbes while attending musical training on the East Coast, and I don’t know where the other members are from.
I have been a fan of Pink Martini since their beginning and have seen them in concert twice.
The last time I went with friends was in Kansas City, in which one of the seats we had in the back was actually missing(!) At intermission, the theater was so apologetic, they walked us right up front to the orchestra seating with the nice comfy chairs. Being able to see them up close completely changed the concert for me — they have such a good time performing, it’s palpable.
On the other hand, in my opinion, the inventive quality of their recordings has been declining with each successive release.
I love Pink Martini and I’ve seen them in concert at least five times, the last in Washington with Stormy. And while they were good in DC, Stormy can’t carry China’s panties. The show was markedly less impressive without China. No question.
