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DAVID USHER DELICIOUSLY DELIGHTS EVERYONE AT THE JOY SUPPER CLUB

Author: Christine Bode
Source: Party In Kingston
URL: www.partyinkingston.com/music
Date: March 22, 2007

On the evening of the first day of a long-awaited spring, Wednesday, March 21, 2007, Kingstonians were treated to a first class night of pop/rock perfection from our own adopted son, the international, currently NYC-dwelling David Usher. The fine folks at Joy Supper Club, particularly manager Rian Malloch, made a perfect call by booking this homecoming show for David Usher whose family and friends were all out last night to bask in his gorgeously lit glory and sell out the venue.

I’d never really jumped on the Moist bandwagon back in the day but have always enjoyed David Usher’s radio hits so I felt it was about time I got out to see and hear him perform live. I was very pleased to go with my friend Nicole and new friends Natania and Kathy and as always enjoyed seeing PartyinKingston.com’s Chris White and Matt Hartwick who were putting back the beers like nobody’s business (and business is good!). Except for Natania, (and the Germans have notoriously bad taste in pop music - Hasselhoff anyone - sorry Natania, I couldn’t resist!) we all agreed that David Usher puts on a fabulous show!

An unexpected treat was served up to us by opening act NLX, otherwise known as Natasha Alexandra (check her out at http://www.nlxmusic.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/NatashaAlexandra), originally from Hamilton, Ontario and now also living in New York City. Natasha, who joked that she didn’t get into Queen’s, played her Yamaha keyboard and surprised us with her smoky, slightly nasal but sexy vocals and provocative heartbreak/take-a-stand/"Bitch Get Fit" songs for women. She was accompanied by drummer Jeff Lyons and my friends and I unanimously agreed that Natasha was terrific and tonally reminded us of artists such as Bonnie Tyler, Heart, Melissa Etheridge and Janis Joplin but has in her own press been likened to "a potent cocktail infused with Daniel Lanois, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey and, of course, NIN (Nine Inch Nails)." Playing songs from her CDs In Your Face and Behind Your Back, including the standouts Stay, So Far Apart, Overdrawn and a brilliant cover of Depeche Mode’s Walking In My Shoes, NLX is definitely an artist to watch.

When David took the stage at around 10:30 pm, he was surrounded by screaming, lust-filled ladies packed tight on the dance floor within the enthusiastic, adoring crowd that crammed the club. There were almost an equal amount of men - they were just quieter in their approval. An obviously consummate pro, Usher is dynamic, passionate, charming, very good-looking and possesses a feline grace that made most women in the room (with the exception of his mother) wet. His lush orchestral band raised thundering crescendos to orgasmic new heights. I noticed that he didn’t introduce his band and there is no mention of their names on his websites (http://www.davidusher.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/davidushermusic) so I’m sorry I can’t tell you who they are.

Usher’s latest album, Strange Birds, was released the day before and already has a hit single The Music and accompanying beautifully filmed video in place to promote it. David’s anonymous life in New York City with his wife and young daughter obviously agrees with him as he was in superb shape for his electrically charged super set. Song highlights of the night included Ugly is Beautiful (I could feel the bass in the rockin’ dance beat in my throat), Some People Say and The Music from Strange Birds, I’m Coming Down” My Way Out, Long Goodbye, the powerfully passionate Letting Go, the trumpet happy When Jesus Was My Girl, an ass-kicking Alone In The Universe, the much loved Black Black Heart and my personal favourite, anthem Love Will Save The Day during which David bravely jumped into the heart of the ecstatic multitude to grateful howls and camera flashes. To be honest with you, I can’t remember hearing that much noise for a musician in Kingston since The Tragically Hip but the screams sounded more like those Shaun Cassidy used to get in his day.

Make no mistake this man isn’t a bubblegum crooner. If you have the opportunity to catch a David Usher show, DON’T miss it! It’s worth every penny and every moment you may have to spend standing on a hard floor trying to ignore your aching back. David Usher is undoubtedly one of Canada’s most impressive music artists and with maturity continues to improve his flavour like a very fine wine.

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