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Concert Review: Amy Winehouse at NYC's Bowery Ballroom

Mar 14, 2007, 06:30 PM | by Helin Jung

Categories: Music

Amy_l Perhaps the biggest surprise of last night's Amy Winehouse show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City was that she showed up at all. A notoriously volatile songstress and the latest Brit Award recipient for Best Female Solo Artist, Winehouse has made a few notable cancellations recently — we got her on a comparatively good day, and the sold-out room welcomed her with palpable adoration.

A 10-member band of burly, sharply-dressed men announced a tiny, teetering creature and she entered, shrouded by a beehive of hair, all tangled up in a giant nest. Festooned with dark eye makeup and naked lady tattoos, Winehouse regularly struts about the stage with guns blazing, or so it would seem. In truth, for much of the show, her performance was distant. Winehouse looked absent as she launched into her rather brief set (mostly tracks off her new album, Back to Black), at times overwhelmed by her gleeful giant bandmates. The crowd wasn't bothered, though, beaming, singing, and cheering, as if to their own amazement. In the end, her singular voice broke through. There it was, undeniably, the sonic fierceness that, when matched with her melancholy, autobiographical lyrics, brought tapping foot and aching heart together.

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Tracy Wed, Jul 4, 2007 at 05:51 PM EST

Amy Winehouse: "Big Chief UGh Uh MUh Ah gotta havem Wife." Scary girl, you fit the bill. YIKES!!

dma69 Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 10:21 AM EST

Let's not pit Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse (cool name, by the way) against each other. We need some new blood out there. Both can coexist in the business, granted that America gives them a chance and stop catering to talentless hacks like Britney, Jessica, Hilary, and the other usual suspects.

johnathan Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 12:08 AM EST

I'd probably pick Lily Allen if i had to choose one or the other, although I agree that you don't have to pit them against eachother. (I'm still scratching my head over all the mariah-madonna fights. I love them both! what's the big deal???)

that said, amy winehouse doesn't seem like a nice person to me. I have no idea why I think that, and I could be completely wrong, but there's something about her that makes me think she could fall into lindsay lohan territory very quickly.

Andrea Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 11:02 PM EST

Thank you EW for recommending Amy Winehouse and Lily Allenin your last issue. I have been starving for some new and different music to listen to. I bought both CD's yesterday and am thrilled with my purchases. I agree with whol....I am soooo tired of "nice girl" music too!

c.e. Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 10:18 PM EST

When I first heard her last year with Rehab I thought it was a great song, then I googled her and read all the Brit gossip in between catching her past videos. I'm 40 and I love her music and and style. I was brought up loving artists who made great work but had demons. Now that she's here in the US after Britney and Anna nicole, who I only compare her to because of celebraty purposes alone, I have to wonder will people embrace her music alone or ignore her cause we're afraid of investing money and energy into another artist who may not be around on earth in a few years if they're not careful. She seems young enough to let her vices control her but she has a strength in her that makes me stay with her and hopes she'll shake it off and let her work take priority Back to Black has some of the best songs I know I'll be listening to for years I just hope this isn't her last album.

Candace Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 09:00 PM EST

LOVE Amy Winehouse!! I am so glad she made it to the US! I would love to see her in concert but am not close to any of her venues. Her voice is so effortless. She is a true talent.

Alicia W. Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 08:46 PM EST

I agree with Bernard. I've been listening to both these talented ladies albums for months. Each is talented in her own right. It isn't really fair to either one of them to compare them because their styles are so different. I wish both of them success here in the States!

RayT Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 08:32 PM EST

I really think Amy Winehouse will fare better than Lily Allen in America simply because Amy's music is just so much more American. She sounds like she's straight out of Motown... I swear there's a large black lady in a choir uniform living inside her vocal box! "Wake Up Alone" is a must-listen for any blues/soul/Motown fan.

Nathan Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 08:24 PM EST

She is the BEST! Such a breath of fresh air from the normal top 40 crap that they play on the radio...Best album of the year so far.

Bernard Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 07:42 PM EST

Well, I do not believe it is a choice of one over the other. Winehouse and Allen are different artists and I happen to like their individual styles without making it an "either/or" comparison. Now I have to get back to listening to "Love is a Losing Game" and "Everythings Just Wonderful."

Delon Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 07:29 PM EST

i like Amy Winehouse much better than Lily Allen. i don't think either of these ladies can invade America considering the current programing on mainstream radio. for me, if these two ladies are pit against each other then i'm always going with Amy!

Jay Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 07:14 PM EST

I'm feeling Lily Allen more as the "cute-british-songstress-to-invade-america." Winehouse's music seems watered down to me, and while Allen seems volatile, she also seems much more sincere in her music and her personality. She has made mistakes, but she is fine admitting that. Winehouse, on the other hand, is "distant," which really is the perfect way to describe her. What's she hiding? Why doesn't she have more confidence?

Sarah Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 06:57 PM EST

Ahh...Amy Winehouse...what a mess. But her songs and music are amazing. Love her.

whol Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 06:14 PM EST

I'm so jealous...I love Amy Winehouse with a passion. Hillary Duff is a nice girl...who needs nice girls?

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