Review: KCRW Presents Jamie Lidell at the Troubadour

From KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox:

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing the great Jamie Lidell perform live at the Troubadour… an event I have waited years to experience.

Tall and lanky, wearing some kind of patchwork Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mr. Lidell took to the stage amidst a cluttered multitude of unusual instruments, drums, bongos and strange electronic gadgets. In some cases, he seemed to be playing all of them at once, whether it was the raw, twitchy funk of “I Wanna Be Your Telephone” or the more experimental, epic title piece from his new album “Compass.” It was difficult to see at times, given there was enough smoke machine exhaust for a dozen Deep Purple concerts, but through it all Jamie Lidell commanded the stage with a boyish enthusiasm that was infectious and charming.

But these were all mere details, everything taking a backseat to… the voice. My goodness. That voice. One can be completely familiar with the artist Jamie Lidell and his music, yet still unprepared for the stunning paradox of witnessing his performance in the flesh. It is like hearing the voice of Otis Redding belting out of the guy who played Cameron in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. But when that voice sang such classics as “Multiply” and “Another Day,” it was joined by the voices of every person in the room, making for quite a memorable show. One that needs to be seen – and heard — to be believed.

–Dan Wilcox