Review: Storm Large Gives an Electrifying Performance at 54 Below
The powerhouse vocalist had the audience mesmerized from the first note.
Entering Broadway’s Supper Club spotlit and holding a tambourine, Storm Large kicked off her show at 54 Below on Saturday night with a fiery rendition of Matthieu Chedid’s “La Seine” and immediately captured the audience’s attention with her razor-sharp wit and powerful vocals.
Wearing a lowcut, tasseled dress, the stunning 55-year-old going on 25 joked that “you might have to pay a little extra tonight” on account of her ample bosom barely staying put in the confines of her outfit. And with the signature cocktail of the night, aptly named “The Side Boob,” the topic was certain to come up again during the show. And it did!
Next song on the list was Rod Stewart’s “Stay With Me,” which was off the charts spectacular, including a rocking guitar solo from guitarist Scotty Weddle. Large’s command of the stage, along with her incredible vocal range, had the audience mesmerized.
Large’s shows tend to be audience interactive, with the performer posing questions outright to the audience to elicit responses. With the recent earthquake and upcoming eclipse, Large joked about the “end of days,” which segued into a fantastic song entitled “As the World Caves In” by Matt Maltese. Guitarist Scotty Weddle and Bassist Matt Brown, whom Large referred to fondly as “The Boners,” provided solid back-up vocals.
Then came a Large original, which she wrote with Music Director James Beaton. Titled “Formaldehyde,” the singer confessed that when she first penned it, she had no idea what the song was about, but that in today’s politically charged climate, it now made sense – it was a song about people selling “BS.” With an epic guitar solo and audience participation, the song was a hit with the crowd.
Other highlights included another Large original based on a story from her bartender days entitled “I want you to die,” hilarious patter about getting massages on the road, her ukulele playing during “Peace, Love, and Understanding,” her tender original “Woman’s Heart” which further showcased her vocal prowess, hilarious banter about kidney stones with solid drummer Greg Eklund, and a crowd-pleasing cover of rock hit “More Than a Feeling” by Boston’s Tom Scholz.
Large also spoke openly about grief and her work as a death doula, reminding everyone that “love is why we’re here” which segued nicely into another stunning Large original entitled “Angels.” She then left the stage and wondered through the audience for a terrific rendition of Brandi Carlisle’s “That Wasn’t Me” before closing the show with a solid rocking interpretation of Queen ft. David Bowie’s “Under Pressure.”
If you’ve never seen Storm Large perform, keep an eye out on her website for when she’s next in town. You won’t want to miss this electric goddess!
Photo Credit: BWW-Staff
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