Charlotte Gainsbourg at Bell House, Jan 19. Photos.
Other than the novelty of having Charlotte Gainsbourg sing for you in a modest place like the Bell House, there wasn’t much to this show. If she sang a few tunes at your dinner party, her soft voice, likable personality, unpretentious approach would provide endless delight, but put a price tag of $30 at a sold out show, and the whole thing falls apart a little. I started to think about the Regina Spektor show at McCarren Pool and how that single woman was able to captivate a whole field of people totally soaked in rain—I have my issues with Regina, but it’s evident that she breathes and lives her music; with Charlotte, adorable and likable as she is, it’s hard to believe that she’s moved by these songs, most of which she didn’t write. The only exception was “Just Like a Woman”, where I felt the connection between performer and music — but then that’s a Bob Dylan song in all its poignancy.
