While it was the better-known Dido that most came to see at Camden's Tweeter Center last Friday, special guest Travis gave a surprisingly impressive performance to the full amphitheater comfortably filled with faithful "chick flick" movie-goers.
Together, the two acts made the concert's price of admission worth its cost. First-up Travis gave a performance with a genuine feel to it. The band, best known for its song "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?," played its mellow rock genre, which is both upbeat and, at times, pop-like, yet remains at all times, with at least a touch of folk.
Lead singer Francis Healy, casually dressed in a green tank, jeans and sandals, freely interacted with the audience, talking of how he wrote the song "Turn" for his grandfather whose picture sat on a stage amp.
Having already learned how to command the tricks of the stage, Travis' members allowed themselves to be consumed by their music and moved with its flow, knowing the appropriate moments to add pauses for crowd screams and rhythmical jumps. During their performance, no elaborate set was present nor needed; the band's energy and natural spontaneity was enough to draw the audience into the rhythm of the music.
While Travis' performance could best be characterized as "natural," Dido's performance was much more seemingly choreographed. After almost three minutes of smoke, lights and technotronic music, Dido finally appeared on stage, only to emerge stiff, hesitant and robotic (maybe that would explain the concert's unnecessary techno theme). She seemed to be "going through the motions" of what a performer should do, gesture with her arms, move about the stage, dance and converse with the audience, to try to connect with her audience in some way. Even her bright pink halter with "Philadelphia" written across it (she must have taken the hint from the 76ers/Destiny's Child fiasco) indicated the intense superficiality.
Yet, her choreography did little to reach her audience on the personal, emotional level her songs required. As a result, her emotionally-charged music -- while still complemented by her powerful voice -- seemed two-dimensional during the first several songs. Fortunately, Dido's facade seemed to thaw during the second half of the show.
After "Honestly Ok," she actually started to look like she was having fun -- smiling, moving about the stage with much more ease and even moving the microphone away from her mouth when she wasn't singing. From that point on, Dido's music seemed to find the depth and richness required for a live performance that had been lacking in the first hour.
After being called back out on stage for an encore by applause, Dido did what she called "an experiment" -- she sang a new song "Do You Have a Little Time" while playing solo on a keyboard for accompaniment. Dido hit her pinnacle with this song. Not only did it showcase her amazingly beautiful voice and its vast range of dynamics, but it also was able to find that intimate level with the audience that she just couldnt reach throughout the rest of the concert.
In the end, despite Dido's still-maturing stage presence, she proved to give an enjoyable and fulfilling performance.
