AUSTIN, Texas -- A rail-thin, expressive Fiona Apple took the stage at SXSW Wednesday evening for NPR's showcase at Stubb's Barbecue, in one of the festival's most highly anticipated concerts. Apple, who hasn't released an album since 2005's Extraordinary Machine, played three new songs and eight old ones, in a set that hemmed close to an hour.
The sound on stage was muffled at the start, but Apple's voice, at once deep and vulnerable, was unmistakable behind the technical issues. Apple, 34, wore her hair in a high ponytail, paired with a long black dress and chunky, buckled boots. Her stage presence was charged with emotion and dependably unpredictable -- at times she'd stomp around the stage with unusually active feet; other times, she'd languish against her piano and drink tea. The crowd was equally adoring of both behaviors.
Overall, Apple turned in a performance that showcased all the reasons she is loved -- her dark sensibilities, soft/hard dynamic and a haunting voice. The best songs of the night included closer and crowd favorite "Criminal," "Carrion" and a track off her forthcoming album, "Every Single Night." She played two other new songs, "Anything We Want" and "Valentine." Peek the full set list below our videos (best watched in HD) and photos from the show.
Apple's new album, The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do, will be out sometime in June on Epic Records. Apple will take the stage again Thursday night at Pitchfork's SXSW showcase, after which she'll begin an eight-date tour Sunday.
Watch Apple open the show with "Fast As You Can," and keep an eye on her feet around the 3:50 mark :
Watch Apple sing a new song, "Every Single Night" (the video quality is worse on this one, but it makes up for it in sound quality):
Watch Apple perform "Carrion," and tune in for highlights around the four-minute mark:
Watch Apple perform "A Mistake" and scream at a man in the crowd at the four-second mark. Watch her feet throughout this performance, too:
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Setlist:
Fast as You Can
On the Bound
Paper Bag
Mistake
Anything We Want*
Valentine*
Sleep to Dream
Extraordinary Machine
Every Single Night*
Carrion
Criminal
AUSTIN, Texas -- A rail-thin, expressive Fiona Apple took the stage at SXSW Wednesday evening for NPR's showcase at Stubb's Barbecue, in one of the festival's most highly anticipated concerts. Apple, ...
AUSTIN, Texas -- A rail-thin, expressive Fiona Apple took the stage at SXSW Wednesday evening for NPR's showcase at Stubb's Barbecue, in one of the festival's most highly anticipated concerts. Apple, ...
Our favorite sad girl Fiona Apple hasn't released a studio album since 2005's brilliant Extraordinary Machine, but if a certain Twitter feed is to be...
When you have three albums under your belt that are each widely regarded as among the best in their respected years (and decades) you can perhaps begin to justify that blandly dismissive attitude.
serz4u: When you have three albums under your belt that are
The stills really don't do her justice. She's just hypnotic, visually and aurally. Amazing in concert. Can't seem to get the twisted nursery rhyme refrain of "Every Single Night" out of my head.
serz4u: The stills really don't do her justice. She's just hypnotic,
I tried listening to several of her songs on YouTube to see if it gets better and for me the answer is no. It is just personal preference but her style of singing is not one I enjoy. It reminds me of someone that cannot decide to sing or talk the lyrics and the "tortured artist" persona gets tiresome after a few notes. Glad most of you support her but I am not one.
aquarius2: I tried listening to several of her songs on YouTube
serz4u: Widely considered among the best musicians recording today. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-2000s-20110718/fiona-apple-extraordinary-machine-19691231
Welcome | The Official Fiona Apple site
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The Huffington Post | By Gazelle Emami Posted: 03/15/2012 8:58 am Updated: 03/19/2012 12:35 pm