The other night I arrived at White Water Tavern expecting to see two decent acts. Right after I paid my cover at the door, I was informed that The Boondogs cancelled. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed because I’d never seen them, and was looking forward to seeing what they had to offer. So, basically my night didn’t get off to a great start.
Ill feelings aside, Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers stepped in and saved the day. This was my second time to see them, and I’d love to see more of them. I think this show was fantastic, and ranked right up there with how great they were the first time I saw them. The only difference in the sets was that this time “Champagne Supernova” was not covered, but so is life. Crain does a killer job covering that song, and while I wished she had sung it, one can’t always get what they want.
If you didn’t read the first write up on Crain, I highly recommend that you do. She is not a tall person, but if you were just listening to her, you would never know. She has a wonderful voice that penetrates the air and encompasses everyone in its way. I can’t quite attach a name to a singer I think she sounds like, which is great because I love unique voices. However, when I hear her, the first thing that pops in to my mind is hauntingly beautiful. During one of her songs, and I must apologize because I don’t know which one it was, when she hit a couple of her high notes, I actually got goose bumps. She has such a powerful and domineering voice and when I listen to female artists, that is one of the most important things I’m looking for. Not since Beth Ditto’s vocals with The Gossip and Alison Kraus in general, have I felt this way about a female vocalist. Crain has power and oomph, and I’m glad she brings it to the stage.
Even though she is just that good, she is still very humble and really nice. I haven’t heard that loud of applause for a band from that few people in a long time. However, the applause I heard filled White Water, even though there could not have been more than 35 people there. After every song when the applause died down, Crain would say thank you, and I found that really endearing. I love that she seems so down to earth, and I can’t wait to hear her full length when her record label decides to release it. I will make time to see her and the ‘Shivers again in the future because they always leave me craving more and hopefully they’ll swing back through Little Rock in the near future.
--L
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