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Sixpence None the Richer The Firehouse St. Louis, Missouri October 1, 1999 Reviewed by Lennox H. Chan On Friday, October 1, 1999, Sixpence None the Richer returned to St. Louis, Missouri to play at the Firehouse. The cozy nightclub most likely ranks as one of the smaller venues on a tour that has primarily booked theaters. The cozy nightclub's stage was a tight fit for the band proper (a quintet) and the instrumentalists (a keyboardist, two violinists and a viola player) currently supporting Sixpence. On the whole, this concert reflected the dazzling variety that is one of Sixpence's strongest characteristics. Each song stood out distinctly from the others, but the set still flowed well overall. Matt Slocum played lead guitar in his standard stellar manner, and his introductory solo to "Love, Salvation, the Fear of Death" wove a mysterious and foreboding atmosphere that started the concert on a strong note. Sixpence's sonic diversity struck its most interesting chord in the middle of the set. The enthusiastic audience roared its approval when it recognized rhythm guitarist Sean Kelly playing the opening chords to the ubiquitous "Kiss Me." The keyboardist emerged from his obscure position at the back of the stage to play accordion. The instrument's presence added to the charm and innocence that was so integral to "Kiss Me"'s success. With their next songs, "Anything" and "The Waiting Room," Sixpence shifted gears from shiny, happy pop to serious, meditative reflection. Lead singer Leigh Nash noted to the crowd that the two songs blended together on Sixpence's album, and it was in this manner that they played them live. On "The Waiting Room," the deep notes resounding off the string section, Slocum's guitar work, and a brooding bass line from Justin Cary perfected a somber blues feel. Progressing from that sullenness, Sixpence completed the aural roller coaster by jumping into the playful "There She Goes. This four song segment effectively showcased the variety of musical and emotional textures from which Sixpence draws. Sixpence played three unreleased compositions on this night, an encouraging sign to those who have been waiting patiently and eagerly for the band to record a new album. The first of these new songs, "Paralyzed," was an aggressive rock song, driven by a melodic guitar riff. The second new song, "Melody of You," was the only number on which Slocum played an acoustic guitar. The delicate and rapidly plucked guitar meshed with Nash's vocals and a sparse arrangement to create an intimacy that stood out as one of the night's highlights. The third new song, "Dizzy," closed the evening, and its slower, waltz-like tempo was strongly reminiscent of "Easy to Ignore" from Sixpence's eponymous album. These three unreleased compositions exhibited the band's still dynamic creativity and growth. Although an enjoyable experience, this concert was not without flaws. "Dizzy"'s impact was somewhat diminished by its placement following the exotic flavors of "Puedo Escribir" and the intense wall of sound in the band's reworked live version of "Love." The string section added the lush layering that that has been present on Sixpence's studio work, but it was difficult at times to distinguish the strings in the sound mix. It was somewhat disappointing that the band didn't play more material from their first two albums, The Fatherless and the Widow and This Beautiful Mess, or their EP, Tickets for a Prayer Wheel. It was also disappointing that Slocum didn't bring out his cello to accompany the supporting string section. However, these are minor quibbles to a concert that was an admirable injection of depth to the usually simplistic and monotonous world of pop music. Set list:
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