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LIVE: Neko Case at Central Park Summer Stage
Cred
On Friday evening, after a disastrous Restaurant Week meal at Brasserie Ruhlmann (more later on Deep Dish), I headed up to Central Park for Neko Case’s free Summer Stage performance. We arrived just as Eric Backmann was finishing up his quiet, twangy set. I’ve never seen him live solo (Crooked Fingers impressed me a year or so back, on on record) and the 3/4-full venue seemed to be feeling it.
After 30 minutes, and a friendly reminder from the PR staff that photos were not allowed, per Neko’s request, Case took the stage with her trusty band, including the potty-mouthed Kelly Hogan (so, so sweet on all the harmonies). The night was cool and breezy—the waft of grilled meats was making everybody hungry, including Neko as she admitted from the stage.
The set focused squarely on her two strongest albums, “Blacklisted” and “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood,” opening the show with the familiar groove from “Deep Red Bells.” Case, like at the shows I have seen her play with The New Pornographers, is as clear and crisp live as on record. Makes me think how blown away her friends must have been when she started singing for kicks (in her mid-twenties at that!). The crowd favorite, closing the first encore (of two), was “John Saw the Number,” a lively, foot-stomping track that found most of the front row (and picnicers in the back) jamming to the beat. One of those classic Central Park moments. --Matt Rodbard
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