Concert Review-Melora Hardin - The Cultute of Pop, DVD, Movie, TV, Pop Culture Review

Concert Review-Melora Hardin

Posted: Sun, 5 Jun 2011 16:13:29 PDT

Saturday In The 'Mack With Melora..

They say that hurricane season is upon us. After some of the most horrific weather this country's seen in recent decades, not a time of year we're anxious to inaugurate.

But a different type of Perfect Storm invaded Huntsville's Merrimack Hall last eve. Or, more like a (musical) force of nature. Call her Hurricane Melora...as in actress/singer-songwriter Melora Hardin. True, most of the near capacity audience no doubt knew her as Jan from NBC's pseudo-documentary sitcom The Office. But by the time the house lights came on at night's end, many attendees were comparing her to the likes of some of the greatest female vocalists of all time: Barbara Streisand, Judy Garland and Doris Day.

Such is the magic of an artist who not only grew up loving the aforementioned music legends, but also doing their legacies proud while not out and out copying them. End result? One of the most entertaining, most enjoyable musical nights of its kind I've had in a long, long time.

Entrancingly playful from the get go with a Gypsy Rose Lee-esque peek-a-boo glimpse of her hands from stage left, segueing into a confident take charge strut to center stage, belting out a sexy take on the Broadway chestnut All That Jazz as her opener, the 43 year old Hardin (who looks well over a decade younger, to be honest), delivered an eclectic, but extremely well thought out set of songs. Covering the worlds of show tunes, jazz, pop and novelty, she also took time between songs to tell personal stories of how these songs affected her either personally or professionally with an end result of concert goers not only getting an excellent show, but also leaving with the feeling of making a new friend.

I think they call that connecting with your audience? Young wanna-be performers? Do take note; we could use more such entertainers on increasingly impersonal concert stages.

Among the many high points: You, a beguilingly touching love song written especially for Hardin by renowned singer-songwriter Paula Cole (I Don't Wanna Wait; Where Have All The Cowboys Gone), rousing covers of Doris Day classics Everybody Loves A Lover and 10 Cents A Dance (the latter of which Hardin really made her own), a faithful cover of The Carpenters classic Close to You (which really put a lump in the throat of this reviewer who grew up a mere two miles away from Merrimack who wore out his vinyl copy of Karen and Richard's The Singles 1969-1973 on his K-Mart stereo), the heart achingly lovely Hardin penned Fading Away which sounded even better in a live setting with excellent harmony from bandleader/pianist Ben Toth) and Begin The Beguine (a number with special significance for the singer-actress who performed it in the Disney action adventure cult classic The Rocketeer).

But the two (actually, three) most memorable musical moments came near the end of the first and second acts, respectively: A grand recreation of Hardin's audition for Roxie in Chicago from nervous anticipation over which role she should go for (she was also up for Velma, the rival for Billy's affection) to her final casting in the role she was born to play (duh), Roxie. Yet, that magic moment kind of paled to a double dynamite shot of throw caution to the wind, double entendre laden numbers commencing with Ride Your Rocket (a perfect number to belt out in Rocket City, USA) which was so vintage sounding, I thought it was a cover tune, but yet, the first of two wonderful Hardin originals culminating with a slice of 1950's-ish Julie London flavored sex kitten playfulness called A Boy And His Cat (or perhaps better known by Hardin faithful as, Pussy. Yep, it got the best reaction of the night).

In closing, if this amazingly gifted performer comes within a state or two of yours, you must take in her show without question. For unlike some high profile celebrity part time musical careers which serve more as vanity project than anything, Melora Hardin walks the walk, talks the talk, and delivers an earnestly sincere evening of songs you won't soon forget.

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Linkage:

Melora Hardin TCOP Interview-Part I

Melora Hardin TCOP Interview-Part II

www.merrimackhall.com

www.melora.com 

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