Neko Case: Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT 1/30/11

Starting her brief northeast tour on a snowy winter night in Vermont, Neko Case brought her “country noir” sound in it’s full glory to Higher Ground’s Ballroom. It was a night with a lot of hype, as the last time Case was scheduled to perform on this same stage with her "other" band The New Pornographers back in August, she was a no show. This was (allegedly according to local media reports) because of a case of food poisoning, but other rumors were presented. So before singing one note of music, a seemingly serious spoken Case addressed the situation explaining that she did, in fact, have food poisoning and warned, “don’t ever eat a sandwich that’s been in your car all day.” A very tongue in cheek beginning to a beautiful and flowing set of music.

The night was a mix of tunes that spanned the entirety of Case’s catalogue but focused primarily on songs from her last two studio albums, Middle Cyclone and Fox Confessor Brings The Flood. An early highlight from the set was "Maybe Sparrow," a song that showcases her band as much as her songwriting and incredible vocal range. As the show progressed, the close family vibe of the band became more and more apparent with the knowing glances and inside jokes that they shared. Case, who now resides in Vermont’s northeast kingdom, described the Sunday night crowd by saying that, “you people are warm and moist.” A stark contrast to the stormy weather outside.

The show continued with many fan requests being played including a driving upbeat "Train From Kansas City" followed by "John Saw That Number" during the encore. Every song was greeted with cheers from the audience with many folks obviously very familiar with the material. It was a very interactive night, not only for the requests, but also with much playful banter between the audience members up front and Case, who gave her “newly” fellow Vermonters a rich night of spirited music.

Setlist:

Things That Scare Me, Maybe Sparrow, Fever, People Got a Lotta Nerve, The Pharaohs, Middle Cyclone, Hold On, Hold On, Margaret vs. Pauline, I’m an Animal, Dirty Knife, I Wish I Was the Moon, Red Tide, Polar Nettles, The Tigers Have Spoken, Don’t Forget Me (Harry Nilsson cover), That Teenage Feeling, This Tornado Loves You

Encore:  Vengeance Is Sleeping, Train From Kansas City, John Saw That Number, Star Witness

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