I saw her in concert this past Thursday
Eddie’s Attic, the venue I saw her in, is incredibly intimate – closer to a hundred people than two – and she sounds just as lovely in person as she does on any studio track. She opened the show with one of my favorite songs from her most recent album, “Blue Caravan”, and then played one of her three versions of “Gravity”, which is another favorite song. I forget the set list after this but she played almost all of my favorite songs (though not “The Tower”, “Shasta (Carrie’s Song)”, or “Hope On Fire”, which made me sad) and also covered a Radiohead song that I was unfamiliar with, as well as two songs by Alex Wong, who she is touring with. I didn’t really like his first song but the second was nice (it was described as the manliest song he has and it wasn’t at all) and I liked him pretty well all around. He mostly performed the minimal percussion on her tracks and it was really interesting to see him play; I’ll have to look him up this weekend.
She also played a song from the album she’s currently putting together and it was an Ani DiFranco-ish a capella spoken word/rap about feminism, freedom, and equality from the viewpoint of her grandmother, who was both warning her of the dangers of the world and telling her that she should always be a full partner in any relationship. It’s not her typical style at all but it was amazing and I am really looking forward to its release. I asked her about it when I bought a CD (and took a picture with her! I look horrible but she looks amazing) after the show and she said it should be ready sometime early next year, which is far too long from now.
Though I’ve always liked Vienna Teng since I was first introduced to her (she’s one of my top ten artists on last.fm), she’s never really been one of my Favorites but after seeing her live, I think she’s made the leap. Her voice was just as clear and beautiful in person as it is on any studio track and it was a treat to see her perform because she put her whole body into the music and it was inspiring. It’s obvious she loves her music and that makes you love it a little more, too. Her performance of “1 Br/1 Ba” was particularly great for this reason and also because I’m still a teenager at heart and her “Right there! Right there!” ad lib following “my upstairs neighbors are making sounds that I never want to hear / I hope they’re just moving furniture around, and really liking their ideas” made me smile. She’s more funny than I expected her to be. Not quirky in the way that Regina Spektor and so many of the other musicians I listen to are but more playful and mirthful. I expected her to be a little more serious for some reason but am glad I was wrong.
Is anyone else a fan?
Blank’s ears perk up
I guess I’ll have to go search out her current album (I have the first two)
I heartily recommend it. It’s just as good as her previous two, though I can’t say I really like “Pontchartrain”. “1 Br/1 Ba” and “Blue Caravan” are magnificent, though.
I love her–her voice is so haunting and gorgeous, and “Passage” is still one of the creepiest and most beautiful things I’ve ever listened to.
Any word on a new album?
Yeah. In the OP. Early next year. 
…I totally knew that. cough
I just *really *listened to “Passage” for possibly the first time, by the way. The opening lyric makes it obvious what it’s about but I’ve never paid attention before and I felt pretty disquieted after it finished. Even now, five minutes later, I feel a little uncomfortable. Still a beautiful song, though.
Have you ever heard her cover of Damien Rice’s “Cannonball”? It is superb.
Vienna as a musician is all kinds of wonderful, and she’s such a sweetheart too! I’ve seen her in concert/met her several times but I kinda “knew” her before she got famous (her level of famous) because we were on the same mailing list. The first time I met her I asked her to sign a poster and she signed it in such a way that made me blush.
Aesiron, that makes two of your favorite artists who are Happy Rhodes fans (Sarah Fimm is the other, check out her MySpace page). Even if you’re tired of me going on about her, take a cue from your ladies. You were freakin’ BORN to be a Happy Rhodes fan. Seriously. Quit fighting it. 
I seem to remember seeing that before and am envious. I didn’t think to bring anything for her to sign so I had to settle for her signing the CD, which is cool but not the same at all. I also recall that **garygnu **got shot down by her in high school so that makes at least two people here that were lucky enough to know her before she . . . uh, made it’s probably not the right word. She’s still very much a hidden treasure even though she’s pretty popular in my circles.
I actually have a little bit of Happy Rhodes in my collection from talking to you in the past and I think “100 Years” is an absolutely wonderful song. “When the Rain Came Down” is pretty good, too, but “Ra is a Busy God” and “If Wishes Were Horses, How Beggars Would Ride”, the only other two I have, did not impress me much and I deleted them. I’m more than willing to take specific song or albums suggestions, though.
And I am a friend of Sarah Fimm on MySpace. She recently posted a bulletin saying a fourth CD should be forthcoming soon. 'coures, she’s been saying that for a while and the date of the posting – April 1st – makes me a little suspicious. In any case, I’m cautiously optimistic. I have all three of her CDs and love them dearly but some new music would be fantastic.
Yes, I went to high school (1 1/2 years) and was friends with [del]Cynthia[/del] Vienna. I asked her to a school dance but she already had a date, so I wouldn’t describe it as being shot down, exactly. (You should see the Christmas Card she gave me with a poem in it. 
)
I love her music and I’m glad to hear she’s coming out with a new album. I especially liked “City Hall” off her last one, as well as “Blue Caravan.” The crummy part is I never find out about her concert dates around here before they’re sold out.
Vienna Teng will be releasing her fourth album, Inland Territory, this Spring and has announced tours of the US and Europe to promote it.
Though I’m currently saving every cent for Bonnaroo in June, and a trip to Australia next spring, I’m considering going to her Atlanta show on May 9th.