Bob Schneider at Hotel Cafe Last Night
| Written by Paul Lyons |
| Tuesday, 22 February 2011 19:14 |
 Attending a show at Hollywood’s intimate Hotel Cafe is nothing short of a ritualistic experience. Similar to the Largo club in L.A., the people who attend Hotel Cafe shows are very serious about their music. Talking during a performance is strictly verboten...and if someone dared to talk on their cell phone, this person would probably not make it out of the club alive. During each song, the place becomes perfectly still, and respectfully quiet. You can literally hear a pin drop. If you happen to catch an artist you are unfamiliar with, be rest assured that the people surrounding you will make up for your ignorance tenfold. With a capacity of only 165 people, it’s easy to find yourself packed into a very tight space with these dedicated music lovers. Such was the case Monday evening, as veteran Austin, Texas singer/songwriter Bob Schneider invaded the Hotel Cafe with an entertaining 90 minute set filled with sounds and laughs that charmed and thrilled the room... Sitting comfortably for the entire solo show, Bob Schneider played a set of songs that mixed a variety of genres together...folk music, country, pop, rock, and even rap music. With a voice as friendly and versatile as Dave Matthews, lyrics that rival the humor and eccentricities of Loudon Wainwright III and Beck, a laid back attitude and style similar to James Taylor and the biting rap rhythms of Eminem...Bob Schneider certainly brings a lot to the table. Not content with just an acoustic guitar to accompany him, Schneider also included several tape loops made on the spot, with vocals effects, harmonica, and even keyboards to add to the sound.  Keeping the mood light and fun Schneider was relaxed enough to laugh at the errors he made throughout the night...at one point early on, he was so distracted by sound issues, that he forgot where he was in the song. Some of the music he played was so soft, and delicate...you didn't want breathe for fear Bob Schneider might break. Other songs were heavy, loud, and aggressive...in a good way. Highlights of the night included the gentle “Metal and Steel” and “King of the World” from his 2001 album Lonelyland...as well as “Gold In The Sunset” from 2004’s I’m Good Now. I loved hearing the crowd sing along to songs like “God Is My Friend”, as well as the crowd favorite of the evening...”Tarantula.” Another high point was when Bob Schneider stopped the show to take requests from the audience...and there were many. Among the requests played were “C’mon Baby”, “Lorena”, “Tokyo” (after a man in the back kept screaming for it), and “Someday”...a song that a woman in the audience mistakenly referred to as “Somewhere.” Schneider told a funny story about the song’s origins. Apparently it was the second song of a proposed rock opera musical he had written called F*#K All You Mother F*ckers....”a love story/slasher movie”... Odd moment of the night was when a tall bald man walked up to the stage during the middle of a song, tipped Bob Schneider some cash like he was some street musician, and went back to wherever he was standing. The audience laughed and were generally perplexed, yet Schneider nether acknowledged not commented about it. My favorite song of the night was "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)”, the popular track from 2009’s Lovely Creatures album. Schneider knew he was running out of time, for he had to be off the stage by the 9:30pm curfew (to make way for the next act of the evening). So he grabbed his guitar and said “ok, let’s do this”...to get the song out of the way before he had to go. Yet his version of "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)” was exciting, lively, and inspiring. The same can be said for much of the evening with Bob Schneider at the Hotel Cafe...a great example of an eclectic artist doing his best to show you the wide variety of things he is able to do... |
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