Hatfield's slim shoulders carry rock's weight

The Gazette: May 29, 1995

By Mark LePage, GAZETTE ROCK CRITIC

  Playing bigger than you are is as essential to electric rock 'n' roll as Les Pauls, Jack Daniels and making faces while you solo. Why make it a big deal in Juliana Hatfield's case?

  "It's not that big a deal," Hatfield said making reference to a blown cue a few songs into last night's show. The line downplayed her tougher rock direction, even while drawing attention to it.

  Her gender was an issue because ignoring it meant ignoring the voice. Hatfield sings sweetly and sadly, her eccentricity marking her more for a folkie than a rock frontwoman on the surface. Despite the depressive saggy jeans, slack posture and shy curtain of hair, though, her efforts to make a large noise were as obvious as the Les Pauls she slung over her shoulders.

  The opening of the set matched her posture. The house lights remained up for the first song, despite her pointed commentary. Some of the 650 fans had left after Jeff Buckley's emotional thunder-drum of a set, and Hatfield's drummer initially sounded as though he were beating on a ship's hull. Too big. She pushed her voice too hard in parts, reaching for raunch to match the crunch of the sound. Then some guy shouted, "You're beautiful!" and things fell into place.

  "Thank you...No I'm not...You don't know me..." Emotional instability established, Hatfield pulled off her black overshirt, strapped on her black Les Paul, and sang two very different songs about women.

  My Sister, about sibling rivalry, and Supermodel, about the superficiality of beauty, both inspired modest pogoing; more importantly, Hatfield found a space for her expression within the big fat sound. As for the Big Time her tougher direction would seem to point toward, she isn't ready and probably isn't that interested, either.

  Buckley had already exhausted most of the fans with an opening set that thought it was a headline gig. "It's artistic, but it still rocks."

  The manner in which he rode the volcanic dynamics of his music with his sensual purge, wail and caress of a voice indicated the comment was not in any way intended as an apology.