Black Tape for a Blue Girl: Corona, CA 9-10-04

Fans at last night’s concert at the Showcase Theatre were treated to an extraordinarily intimate performance by legends Black Tape For A Blue Girl. Though Black Tape’s music is often cerebral and remote, a rather small crowd gave the band the opportunity to really connect with the audience. After opening with the classic “Across A Thousand Blades,” Sam Rosenthal and company introduced the crowd to a number of songs from their latest album, with occasional older favorites like “Remnants of a Deeper Purity” occasionally making their way into the set. The clever “Knock Three Times” seemed to be a favorite of both the band and the audience, with keyboardist and band founder Sam Rosenthal stifling amused laughter as fans danced to the jazzy pianos. Finishing up the set was a beautifully intense performance of “Decomposed,” with guitarist Nicki Jaine joining in Elysabeth Grant on vocals as Rosenthal submerged the room in thick blankets of reverberating sound. After a brief recess, guitarist and vocalist Brett Helm introduced the rest of the band, and the crowd treated to two more songs from the new album, with the honeyed bliss-pop of “Your Love Is Sweeter Than Wine” providing a perfect counterpoint to the desert madness of “Tarnished.” While this band deserved a much larger turnout, seeing Black Tape For A Blue Girl in such cozy circumstances showed the band at their finest. To check for current tour dates and information, visit www.projekt.com.