@ Deluxe at Old National Centre — Indianapolis on April 26, 2014
Maybe it’s true what they’ve been saying for years: “all you need is love.”
And what better way to spread that than with music?
As part of her “Head or Heart Tour,” Christina Perri made a stop in Indianapolis for a show at Deluxe at Old National Centre. Of course, because it isn’t a party without guests, joining her for the evening was Birdy.
Much like any artist I’ve reviewed for this website, I don’t listen to Christina Perri and I couldn’t tell you what song is being played. So it’s for these reasons that I thought I’d venture outside my usual fare and check out something new. Besides, half the fun of this gig is discovering something different, right? So anyway, let’s go.
It’s a busy evening here in Indy, more particularly, at Old National Centre. While Pike High School’s prom was going on upstairs in the Egyptian Room (complete with red carpet and paparazzi leading up to one of the entrances), the rest of us head to the basement – better known as the Deluxe room.
It’s small, intimate, dark, and a little stuffy, and people will continue to file in as the evening goes on. Then again, what else can you expect in a room with a few hundred like-minded music lovers? As I find a place towards the back to observe (and wishing there wasn’t a pillar in the way and that I was 7″ tall to see over everyone), Birdy takes to the stage as the clock strikes 8:00 p.m.
The British-born songstress may not have been a visual wonder, but what she lacked in gimmicks she more than made up for with expertly-executed folk melodies and vocals that made you stop and think “is she really only 17?”
As for her performance, it’s short but sweet, with songs from both of her records including “Words As Weapons” and her breakout hit, a cover of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love,” much to the delight of the crowd. She wavers between piano and guitar, and keeps it all about the music. There wasn’t even much talking with the audience, save for a few words about what song was next. Okay, so she may not win any awards for theatrics, but there’s no mistaking her passion or what the most important part of it all was, which is, the music.
Birdy has left the stage, and a good portion of the crowd has made their way to the lobby outside to gather around the merch table. Speaking of the audience, it’s a very mixed bag, from lovestruck teenagers out on date and college-aged people who love music, to parents and a few from the older crowd. It’s a small room, and the temperature is rising with every second, and by the excited looks on the faces of those around me, I don’t think they’d have it any other way.
Soon, the house lights go down with only the faint stage lights and what looked like a bouquet of roses next to a mic stand to light up the area, followed by a backdrop that resembled the stars in the sky. The 27-year-old songstress greets the audience, goes right into “Trust,” and away we go.
Seeing as she is touring in support of the recently-released Head or Heart, her set consisted mostly of songs off that record such as the aforementioned opener and “Human.” Of course, there were a few old favorites as well, from “A Thousand Years” which was featured on the Twilight: Breaking Dawn soundtrack, to covers of “Lollipop” and “Please Please Me” (enough to satisfy this Beatles fan). All the while, the exuberant audience happily participates in any way they can, whether it’s snapping along or singing their little hearts out.
From a distance, this seems like your typical concert fare, but upon closer inspection, there seemed to be something else that this show had that others lacked:
Making it personable.
Perri might be a successful recording artist, but the way she carried herself made her relatable, and thus created a better connection between herself and the audience. She shared stories about some of her songs and past experiences, responded to comments shouted out by certain audience members, she even takes a selfie with someone in the front row. She seems very much like that perfect stranger that you meet at a show and you instantly have a connection with.
Perhaps the biggest part of the evening came from the closer, “I Believe,” which ended with Perri dividing the crowd into three sections and creating a 3-part chorus to sing out the final few bars of the song. The singing continues as she and the rest of her backing band exit the stage, leaving only the voices of this capacity crowd to be heard in the dark, crowded room.
And just as the singing dies down, Perri makes her way back to the stage for her encore. This included “Penguin,” the breakout hit “Jar of Hearts,” and one final sing and dance-along in the form of “I Don’t Wanna Break.”
And just like that, Perri bids farewell, and it’s time to head towards the exits. The party continues upstairs, while the rest of us go outside to remember what air feels like.
Final verdict?
All you need is love. A love for music, a love for each other, and a love for what you do. Despite not knowing anything about either artist – save for what I’ve seen on old episodes of Conan O’Brien – it’s amazing the kind of connection that can be created at a show like this.
And in closing, these are words from both the head, and the heart.
The Good:
The overall vibe of the show. Though Old National Centre is a very elegant building and the Deluxe room is no exception, it felt less like two big stars playing music and more like if you were going and seeing your friend perform. Give credit to Christina Perri for being as personable as she is and just creating a fun environment for everyone.
The Bad:
Mostly the temperature of the room, but we can’t do anything about that. I also would’ve liked to see more from Birdy performance-wise, but there’s no denying her talent.