Re-Viewed: Sia at Martyr's
By Julene McCoy in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 13, 2006 2:03PM
Sia and her backing band enter the stage and take their places. Sia is clad in skinny jeans, a black top, and pink suspenders which are attached to her pockets in the back. She proceeds to play with the suspenders while regaling an unhearing audience with something that appears to be a joke. She stands stunned that no one is responding and then realizes that the mic isn’t on. Now, on to the show.
Sia starts the set off with “Don’t Bring Me Down” and then goes into Zero 7’s “Destiny”. Between songs she jumps up and down, clapping her hands excitedly when talking about the new Zero 7 album for which she has recorded some songs. This jumping up and down and clapping happens between every song and is in sharp contrast to the rich, deep-toned voice she uses to belt out the feeling of her songs and the fact that she really doesn’t move on stage while singing.
She lets us into her songwriting strategy before “Blow It All Away”; she writes songs that she’s never heard. Giggling, once again, she has some witty banter with the band who up until this point have not said a word, their flawless music is secondary to the voice at the front of the stage, but is always swirling around in complement to Sia. “Lentil” and “Numb” are next and then an impromptu chat with the audience about what they wanted to hear and Sia’s response, “I really chose the wrong fucking songs. I hope you don’t leave disappointed.” She seems genuinely concerned about how the sold-out crowd is responding to her music and this becomes even clearer later on when she bitches out someone in the front row for impeding the experience of the others around them.
A cover of Ray Davies’ “I Go To Sleep” and then the moment everyone was waiting for “Breathe Me” which gave Chicagoist goose bumps as Sia’s voice crescendoed to the spectacular finale. That girl has some serious lungs. “Seashells” was proclaimed the “only slightly scary song of the set” by Sia and then a couple more songs from Zero 7 ended the set, “Distractions” and “Somersault”.
For a slow, trippy-type of electronica and for not doing anything, but standing there and singing, we were blown away by how amazing Sia’s voice is. She sounds exactly like her CDs. No over-processed, trendy American Idol wannabe will ever be in the same league as her and that’s good because from time to time it’s necessary to concentrate on substance, not style and that’s what Sia did last night at Martyr’s.