Regina Spektor receives enthusiastic Richmond welcome

After postponing her sold-out show twice – and damaging
her rapport with many fans – Regina Spektor finally managed
to improve her health enough to perform an adorably
sincere show at Toad’s Place this past Sunday.

Spektor postponed her Richmond show to the dismay of
many fans after collapsing at a sound check in Nashville,
Tenn., this past year. Spektor had been suffering from vertigo,
a balance disorder that causes uncontrollable dizziness.

“It was disappointing, because I have great respect for
her, but she’s a flake,” sculpture major Rebecca Witt said.

With Spektor’s prior postponements only slightly
hampering the attendance, Toad’s Place was more packed
than I had seen it in six previous concerts. As if the many
months that had elapsed weren’t enough, Spektor gave her
audience plenty of time to marinate, too-more than 40
minutes elapsed between the opening act, Only Son, and
Spektor’s first appearance.

As fans shrieked, brandished cell-phone cameras and
reached toward the ceiling, Spektor bashfully emerged from
stage right with an enormous smile.

Reminiscent of her performance at Bonnaroo Music
Festival, Spektor opened the show with an a cappella version
of “Ain’t No Cover” while she tapped the microphone on
the offbeat, invoking a Southern blues feel reminiscent of
negro spirituals of the 19th century.

Spektor spent most of the evening behind a microphone
and grand piano, making sure the audience got what they
wanted. Complaints that she was too hard to see from parts
of the crowd were allayed early in the show when Spektor
politely asked for her image to appear on the large movie
screens in the venue.

“You can’t see me? Can you help them see me? Thank
you,” Spektor said.

Her voice was startling and inspirational to hear-it
was cute, reminiscent of Tori Amos with a smidgen of Ani
DiFranco’s raw attitude.

Fans could tell she was having as much fun performing
as the audience was listening. Her random whispers and
percussive sounds between notes added a particular flair to
her music á la Ben Folds or Bobby McFerrin.

Perhaps Spektor’s concert was so special because she had
no other musicians on stage with her until the second-to-last
song – Only Son came out to beat box and accompany his
girlfriend on the upbeat “Hotel Song.” Spektor’s honesty and talent in no way could be clouded by a band of
superstars dying to play with the young singer.

“She was so great. I mean, you can’t deny how
awesome the expression is,” said a fan following
the encore.

Spektor closed her four-song encore with her
popular “Samson.” Judging by the volume of the
sing-along, it’s safe to say the audience knew this
song best out of all the numbers of the evening.

“Thank you very much, Richmond. I hope I see
you again,” Spektor said as she elegantly curtsied
for both sides of the cheering room.