Deseret News: November 14, 1994
By Scott Iwasaki
By Scott Iwasaki
Submitted by Steven
Jeff Buckley brought 11/2 hours of mesmerizing emotional fire to the Zephyr Club Sunday night.
During the show, Buckley pulled a kaleidoscope of sounds from his guitar as his band, guitarist Michael Tighe, bassist Mick Grondahl and drummer Matt Johnson, created an outline to the sometimes formless, but spellbinding music. Beginning the set with "Mojo Pin," Buckley thoughtfully strummed his guitar with which he blended his rich, soothing tenor. The song blossomed into a Led Zeppelin-esque arrangement with sporadic pops, chords and basslines.
The free-rocking beat of "Grace," the title of Buckley's debut, highlighted his voice, which occasionally exploded into sweet bursts of intensities.
Dreamlike images of the afterlife came alive with "So Real" as the band, playing to the audience's inner soul, shot out dynamic power chords juxtaposed to Buckley's nearly soundless strumming.
And before the concert slipped into monotony, Buckley craftily chugged out some spine-tingling friction chords and managed to intertwine his voice with the arrangement's most obscure notes, highlighting them as he did.
He serenaded the audience with the ambling voiceline of "Lilac Wine," which featured Tighe's violin-like slide guitar. Each note was precisely set within the arrangement and corralled the moving sounds.
Buckley then strummed the sitar-sounding introduction to "Dream Brother." During this song, the shaman in Buckley appeared. He led his band into dynamic climaxes and brought it down to slow-motion chords with every step and beat of the song.
Buckley rested and allowed the audience to gather its senses before pouring out his soul into another creative musical essay, "Eternal Life." The song's groovy beat had people dancing on the floor and moving in their seats. Buckley, looking like a frail puppy, closed his eyes and seemed to drift with the music.
He stopped abruptly during the introduction to the heartbreaking ballad "Lover, You Should've Come Over" when a fan, standing too close to the stage, fell into the microphone almost spilling his drink.
"If that spilled on the electrical equipment, I would've fried, become a legend and then a genius," he laughed. "But it's OK."
With that he restarted "Lover" and serenaded the audience once more with his soaring clear voice. Each time he began to play, a hush fell over the crowd. And he awarded it with dramatic dynamics and splendid musicianship.
Opening for Buckley was guitarist/singer Brenda Khan. Her moody, guitar-enchanced set featured beatlike philosophies spotlighted in the songs "Lie" and "Happy New Year's Day."
Buckley's and Khan's shyness emerged during the song breaks. They talked uneasily to the audience and occasionally stumbled as they did. But when they performed, the shyness died and their artistical spirits awoke.
During the show, Buckley pulled a kaleidoscope of sounds from his guitar as his band, guitarist Michael Tighe, bassist Mick Grondahl and drummer Matt Johnson, created an outline to the sometimes formless, but spellbinding music. Beginning the set with "Mojo Pin," Buckley thoughtfully strummed his guitar with which he blended his rich, soothing tenor. The song blossomed into a Led Zeppelin-esque arrangement with sporadic pops, chords and basslines.
The free-rocking beat of "Grace," the title of Buckley's debut, highlighted his voice, which occasionally exploded into sweet bursts of intensities.
Dreamlike images of the afterlife came alive with "So Real" as the band, playing to the audience's inner soul, shot out dynamic power chords juxtaposed to Buckley's nearly soundless strumming.
And before the concert slipped into monotony, Buckley craftily chugged out some spine-tingling friction chords and managed to intertwine his voice with the arrangement's most obscure notes, highlighting them as he did.
He serenaded the audience with the ambling voiceline of "Lilac Wine," which featured Tighe's violin-like slide guitar. Each note was precisely set within the arrangement and corralled the moving sounds.
Buckley then strummed the sitar-sounding introduction to "Dream Brother." During this song, the shaman in Buckley appeared. He led his band into dynamic climaxes and brought it down to slow-motion chords with every step and beat of the song.
Buckley rested and allowed the audience to gather its senses before pouring out his soul into another creative musical essay, "Eternal Life." The song's groovy beat had people dancing on the floor and moving in their seats. Buckley, looking like a frail puppy, closed his eyes and seemed to drift with the music.
He stopped abruptly during the introduction to the heartbreaking ballad "Lover, You Should've Come Over" when a fan, standing too close to the stage, fell into the microphone almost spilling his drink.
"If that spilled on the electrical equipment, I would've fried, become a legend and then a genius," he laughed. "But it's OK."
With that he restarted "Lover" and serenaded the audience once more with his soaring clear voice. Each time he began to play, a hush fell over the crowd. And he awarded it with dramatic dynamics and splendid musicianship.
Opening for Buckley was guitarist/singer Brenda Khan. Her moody, guitar-enchanced set featured beatlike philosophies spotlighted in the songs "Lie" and "Happy New Year's Day."
Buckley's and Khan's shyness emerged during the song breaks. They talked uneasily to the audience and occasionally stumbled as they did. But when they performed, the shyness died and their artistical spirits awoke.
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