Cole strikes a sultry note at Wiltern show

Published: Friday, October 31, 1997

Friday, October 31, 1997

MUSIC: Pop-rock artist's vocal range, passionate lyrics move older crowd

By Sandra Kim

Daily Bruin Contributor

Imagine: a black grand piano, a slender clarinet, one congo drum, one electric guitar. Now imagine an older mountaineer-type man playing the electric guitar; a skinny, younger drum player convulsing to the beat; and a bass guitarist with a Monkeys-style helmet haircut.

A young woman with long brown hair and lanky arms (not to mention armpit hair) sits before the piano. Suspended behind her are period dresses, stuffed to their maximum shape and form.

Picture this and you'll see the band and talented singer who performed at the Wiltern Theatre Tuesday night. More specifically, the picture is of Paula Cole in concert, with her band and truly within her element.

Cole once said that no one truly knows what a singer is like until he or she hears the singer in concert. And Tuesday night, she proved her own statement, going beyond her radio persona. Cole is multi-talented, vocally diverse and one with her music.

Walking into the Wiltern Theatre is like walking straight into the 1920s, with ornate and leafy decorations glistening with gold trimmings and flashy lights. People mostly in their late 20s, but also others in their 30s and 40s, were milling around. The Delvins opened with their soothing, sultry, adult contemporary pop-rock, prepping the audience for the main performer.

Sitting in velvet chairs that face a large, open stage catches the immediate attention of those used to smaller, less-formal standing concerts. This made the audience focus more respect and appreciation on the performance.

As smokey mist drifted onto the dark stage with two glowing pumpkins on either side, Cole's band silently walked out to their positions. The bass drum began to boom in a slow, hypnotic fashion. Cole emerged, in black and crimson red, sauntering up to the front with clarinet in hand. She began to play a clarinet introduction with Native American intonations. The two burning sticks of incense placed alongside the drummer only heightened the mystic aura. As for Cole's ability to play the clarinet, this "other" talent proved to be only one in a milieu of intriguing musical gifts.

She explained that the next song, written alongside and dedicated to her mother, "created a lot of tension but is a good thing 'cause it forces you to communicate with her." The song's sweet, slow sound demonstrated Cole's amazing ability to communicate through her music and words.

Cole used her voice to its full capacity as an instrument (especially in "Nietzsche's Eyes"). Throughout the concert she produced sounds of an electric guitar; a singing bird; repetitious, raspy, angry, fed-up sighs; and a whole bunch of do-do-dos, ah-ah-ahs, and chica-cons. If there is ever to be a "post-modern" style to contemporary pop-rock, Cole will definitely be a founder. She utilizes all aspects of the voice, ranging from high notes to low notes, grunting and howling, whistling, screaming and chica-chi-cawing.

Not only are her vocal talents amazing, but her piano ability is almost like Elton John's. She was able to sing, yell, scream with passion and still play the correct notes without ever looking at the keys.

As if vocal and piano skills weren't enough, her poetic writing style truly moved the listener. In the middle of the concert, she treated the audience to her autobiographical ballads "Bethlehem," "Tiger" and "Me." "Bethlehem's" passionate expression of lyrics gave the audience goose bumps. She sang a story, saying, "I don't wanna be dog, I don't wanna be a rock. I don't wanna be here, I don't wanna be here in Bethlehem."

In "Tiger," a sequel to "Bethlehem," she sings of release and freedom: "I'm not that girl anymore, I don't get straight A's anymore ... I feel free ... I left the girl I was supposed to be."

The songs most of the audience patiently waited for did not fail to please and excite the listeners, especially in their presentation. In "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone," Cole wore a white, masquerading-type mask for her spoken lyrics. Comically symbolizing the perfect little wife, she mocked the image and stuck her middle finger out when singing, "I will wash the dishes, as you go have a beer."

"I Don't Want to Wait" was performed as a call-back song, the first in three standing ovations. It echoed her CD and radio performances perfectly, with not a single note off-key.

The end of the concert was like a cherry on top of a Chunky Monkey Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Cole surprisingly came out in a slinky, black satin dress and a short, strawberry-blond wig, looking like Marilyn Monroe. She sang "La Vie en Rose" completely in its native language, and with more glamour and tempo than the original.

Watching Cole is invigorating. She becomes one with her music. She becomes an instrument, dancer and actress. Tuesday's performance was a lesson in energy and creativity.