Monday, February 14, 2011

Jeff's Weekly Pick: Nicole Atkins and The Black Sea @ The Loft Friday February 18, 2011

New Jersey bred singer Nicole Atkins will be making her return to San Diego this Friday with her revamped (and renamed) band The Black Sea. A strong powerful voice is her greatest strength, and Nicole is able to compose pop songs which highlight this characteristic. While growing up listening to 60s bands such as Traffic and Cream are not the norm for a young musician, the inspiration from this era is clearly evident in her songs. After schooling in North Carolina, Nicole moved to New York to perform at open mic venues in the city. A residency at Piano’s got her the attention she needed to release her first full length, Neptune City, in 2008 on Columbia Records. Her vocals are showcased throughout the album. This led to touring and a set of circumstances which comprised a split with the major label, firing her entire band and breaking up with her boyfriend. All this was followed by the recent release of Nicole’s sophomore LP Mondo Amore. A new label and backing band are part of the fresh start for Nicole Atkins and The Black Sea. Your chance to see the “new” Nicole is this Friday at The Loft. Many people I talk to have still not been to the intimate venue at UCSD. I urge you to make an effort to change that and the reward promises to be a performance by a talented singer with a voice you will long remember.

Cotton Jones sets the stage.

Watch a video of Vultures below.

No comments: