PUSS N BOOTS – LIVE AT THE SPACE BALLROOM

 

It’s not often a multiple Grammy winner graces the stage of the Space Ballroom. Last week Norah Jones with band mates jazz vocalist Sasha Dobson and music veteran Catherine Popper played two sold out dates at the Hamden, Connecticut club.

Puss N Boots is the trio’s side project started in 2008 in Brooklyn N.Y. The band was initially conceived so the three could play together and experiment with music outside their comfort zones. Puss N Boots fuses a mixture of country, blues, punk, folk and jam into originals and select covers to beget a singular innovative experience. All three member switch instruments taking turns on the bass, drums and guitar. They also trade off lead vocals. Puss N Boots is a very democratic unit.

In 2014 Puss N Boots released their debut full length album, No Fools, No Fun, on Blue Note Records. This October the band released a five song Christmas E.P. entitled Dear Santa with yet again originals and Christmas standards.

I attended the first of their two sold out shows. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Puss N Boots would be playing two sets in lieu of an opener. It was going to be a party.

The first set was comprised of many of the songs on No Fools, No Fun. The Rodney Crowell cover, “Bull Rider” was a fitting start and Norah Jones remarked how she had to remember how to play the guitar. “Bull Rider” was followed by Tom Paxton’s “Leaving London” and a Sasha Dobson composition, “Sex Degrees of Separation”. You can tell this was going to be an amazing evening as the interaction between the band and audience was fast and furious. The band seemed to relish the back and forth play. Next came Paul Westerberg’s “Wonderful Lie” and The Band’s “Twilight”. A series of originals ensued including Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know What It Means”.  The highlight of the first set was by far the live debut of Catherine Popper’s “Christmas Butt’ off the recent E.P.

The second set was just as intriguing. Puss N Boots opened with their homage to jam bands appropriately entitled “Jamola”. This set catered mostly to their self penned material with a few new songs slated to appear on their forthcoming album. “It’s Not Easy” “Christmas All Over Again” and “You and Me” were memorable. They closed out the set with their signature cover of Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s, “Down By The River” which was definitely a crowd pleaser. The band encored with “The Grass Is Blue” by Dolly Parton.

The most engaging aspect of Puss N Boots was their humility. Even though the band consists of three major artists, the show was intimate and personal. Their musicianship was extremely heartfelt and entertaining. You could see they were enjoying themselves as much as their fans. A wonderful night of song and merriment.

Puss N Boots will be holding their “Christmas Extravaganza” on December 20th at the Music Hall Of Williamsburg. “You better watch out. You better not cry cause Puss N Boots is coming to town.

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