| The simple truth is, one has to hand it to a performer for having the gargantuan chutzpah to appear in a major club, in a major city where she's almost a complete unknown, and bill herself as a superstar. So it goes with Canadian cabaret artist Sharron Matthews. And if her show at Joe's Pub had ever faltered, just for a blessed minute, the outcome would have been unconscionable. It is, therefore, a joy to report that not only was this show a complete and utter triumph on all counts, but serves as testament to the fact that a chanteuse as riveting and brilliant as Matthews proved on this night should wholeheartedly be welcomed to New York and elsewhere with unabashedly open arms. With her show, Sharron Matthews, Superstar: The World Domination Tour 2010, the lady wholeheartedly shatters each and every rule heretofore established by New York's cabaret hierarchy, to blissfully unending result, and is almost completely guaranteed to continue to cause a fabulous impact and catch the eye.
Aided gloriously by musical director Wayne Gwillim, from the moment Matthews takes her position at the microphone while decked out in an antique strapless pink prom dress, every single member of the audience is in her clutches. She chooses to rely on a program of music most largely comprised of pop hits of the last forty years, mixed and "mashed-up" as she tells us, which makes for some very interesting combinations to say the least. An opening medley of "I Was Made for Loving You" by Kiss is coupled with Britney Spears's "Circus" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, and this merely sets the tone for what follows, a coupling of "Tainted Love" and "Slave 4 U." Sheila E.'s "The Glamorous Life" is merged with "Paparazzi" by Lady GaGa, then trumped further with "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Material Girl." But Matthews is as home with a ballad as an uptempo, evidenced completely with her rendering of "Creep" by Radiohead. This is equally displayed to the maximum with Tanya Tucker's "Delta Dawn" and "Brandy" by Looking Glass, and by the end of the evening when she's pouring all possible heart and soul in "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, she's got us firmly under her skin and herself under ours.
Her patter is equally notable; at times unspeakably vulgar but never so much as to make her anything less than endearing, she touches on subjects as meaningless as Britney Spears to the teenage heartbreak of having a crush and being the last girl at the high school dance (punctuated beautifully with a medley of "Beth" by Kiss, "Babe" and "Come Sail Away" by Styx, and "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin). As if none of this was enough, she goes so far as to cadge a fried shrimp off of the plate of a patron seated nearby and wash it down with his glass of water, which was so natural as to prove ovational. In point of fact, the show is one part Midler at the Continental Baths circa 1971, one part Sharon McNight at the outset of her brilliant career and one largest part completely unable to categorize, other than to say that cabaret in the city hasn't ever encountered anything like Matthews before or since, and she simply must make her presence more widely known within a very short time.
She'll be shortly appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, but in the meantime, this humble reporter could not more strongly urge potential audiences to keep an eye out for Sharron Matthews. She's as dazzling and dizzying as a homemade honeybun.
The Canadian cabaret artist Sharron Matthews made her New York City appearance last Saturday night at Joe's pub. What a debut it was. Sharron took the stage wearing a pink tutu like halter prom dress With 60's style white heels. She is a is a full-figured lady with an amazing full-sized voice. She is a pinch of Ethel Merman and Bette Midler. Her show is deliciously campy and her interpretation of a song is unique and wonderful. Sharron Matthews's personality and talent really shines as she sails through some of the contemporary hits of the 80's. When she combines Shirley Bassey's "Diamonds Are Forever" with Madonna's "Material Girl" she is able to recreate the original sound of both artists. Her voice is so great that she leaves her audience wanting to hear more. Joe's Pub had a full house full of adoring fans that knew her from Canadian Cabaret. She turned the room into a private party. I felt as if she had a personal relationship to everyone in the audience. Sharron is one of those rare performers that comes along once in a while and gets notices in a downtown club and builds a loyal following a la Bette Midler. - MAGDA KATZ And here are some clips from my Youtube Page!!! CREEP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-fHFp0co58
Diamonds Are Forever/Material Girl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C97c1A0Ul9o
Glamourous Life /Paparazzi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP0wXyqi5LY NEXT STOP?!?!?!
THE EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL!!
From August 16th to August 28th, for the 13 shows "Sharron Matthews Superstar: World Domination Tour 2010" will be at the Surgeon's Hall @theSpaceUK at 21:05 (to be specific) everyday go here to check it out!!!
http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/musicals-operas/sharron-matthews-superstar-world-domination-tour-2010 |
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