{image1}As British singer/songwriter Holly Golightly approached the microphone onstage at the Cactus Club, she stared ahead blankly and deadpanned, "You are in hell." The mostly 20-something crowd was quiet, unsure of how to react. Golightly's band members continued to tune their instruments, as she broke into a smile and told the sound engineer, "It sounds fine." It turns out the crowd was in the middle of a quick sound check, the Holly Golightly way.
Almost 10 years ago, Golightly released her debut album, "Good Things." Every year since has welcomed a new Golightly disc or compilation appearance, including a high-profile guest spot on The White Stripes' "Elephant." Along with prolific songwriting, Golightly is a road warrior, constantly touring across America. Her appearance at the Cactus Club Thursday night was her second in two years and in support of her latest CD, "Slowly But Surely."
Dressed in all black with her dark hair pulled up, Golightly was an intimidating, but intriguing presence. She immediately apologized for a sore throat and not feeling well. But it soon became clear that instead of detracting from her performance, her scratchy voice enhanced the weariness and ache of her raw, bluesy songs.
Golightly's slightly detached stage persona underscored the alienating obsession that sometimes results from heartbreak and bitterness. As the band launched into "Walk a Mile," the crowd started swaying. The stage was bathed in a red glow and the Cactus Club took on a swampy, juke joint atmosphere.
With a set that ran a little over an hour, Golightly kept things interesting by alternating the slow, moody songs with upbeat songs that inspired people to dance frantically.
When she performed her cover of Ike Turner's "Your Love Is Mine," couples held each other close, and others were captivated by the haunted, sinister tone. No one second-guessed Golightly's intentions (irony? sincerity? camp?). She owned the song.
Golightly has never been one to shy away from her musical influences. Her sound is a thick stew of blues, soul, rock and roll and folk. Yet, she's too talented to be labeled merely derivative; her music too rich and smart to be deemed only pastiche.
At times, Golightly's reserved, impassive stage presence overshadowed the sharp wit of her lyrics. After a bit of playful bantering and lots of eye rolling over guitarist Bruce Brand's broken strings, Golightly began to adopt a lighter persona. She even threw in a Stephen Malkmus reference while singing "An Eye for an Empty Heart" (and jokingly apologized for it immediately afterward). The night ended with an intoxicating two-song encore that left the audience sweaty and fulfilled.
