show recap: beck & friends @ angel orensanz

watching beck last night at the angel orensanz center, a jewish synagogue in the lower east side of new york, was sort of like watching the second half of band practice. the set was loose and open to audience requests with songs fading in and out. there's something special about seeing beck so relaxed in an intimate setting, although for such a steep ticket price, i may have expected a little bit more "thrill" for my buck. luckily, i didn't have to shell out money for this show so it didn't bother me too much, BUT i wondered if others who had paid the $55 plus fees for the show were slightly disappointed. just glancing around the hushed and attentive room with many a fan clenching their fists to their chin with smiley adoration during the show indicated that everyone was just happy to be there seeing and hearing beck, no matter what. i know i was.

we packed in, sitting on rickety and uncomfortable wooden chairs. those standing in the balcony had the best view of the show, which ranged from melancholy ("everybody's gotta learn sometimes") to upbeat ("where it's at" -- hello, casio). he ended his encore with "nausea," which is definitely one of my favorite tracks from his new album, the information. my other favorite from the album is "think i'm in love" because it's such a geeky love kind of song. plus it pretty much references david cassidy's "i think i love you so what am i so afraid of?" partridge family vibe. the crowd pleasers were definitely the songs where beck and his band shifted the show to a dining table stage left, where his band started clinking spoons to glasses of water on the table. it was a glass clinking, egg shaker, cowbell jam session. is there a name for this in music? i forget...

the opening act, death vessel, had my blurry vision wondering whether or not he was a male or female. his voice was quite angelic, perfect for the religious decor around him, soaring over his acoustic guitar. his music was just alright and most of the songs sounded the same. but his voice was quite intriguing.