Concert #438 - Perla Batalla - Levitt On The Lawn Concerts (Scripps College) (April 27, 2007)

I first saw Grammy-nominee Perla Batalla in concert at UCLA's Royce Hall in February 2007, and what an auspicious introduction that was. As a key figure in a star-studded Leonard Cohen tribute concert, Perla knocked my socks off with the power and expressiveness of her voice.

Two months later, Perla appeared at an outdoor concert that took place at Claremont's Scripps College, a short driving distance from my home. The event was sponsored by the Levitt Pavilion For The Performing Arts in Pasadena, a cultural organization with strong ties to the college. The Elm Tree Lawn, where the tiny stage was set up, is a pretty area located right in the heart of the Claremont Colleges. Sadly, only about 70 folks showed up, even though the event was free to the public.

Perla Batalla at Claremont's Scripps College

The concert started at the unusual time of 5:30 PM. Accompanied by two musicians, Perla's performance lasted just a little over an hour. She sang in both English and Spanish, her two native languages. In spite of the low turnout, Perla did not hold back, so we got to hear her full vocal range and intensity. As expected, she did deliver a Leonard Cohen tune.

Perla Batalla at Claremont's Scripps College

After the concert, I approached Perla and we chatted for a few very pleasant minutes. She appeared to be genuinely friendly, warm and humble. Carrying her autographed album of Leonard Cohen covers, I went home happy.

Perla Batalla and Yours Truly

The gorgeous Elm Tree Lawn - Scripps College (Claremont, California)

Concert #441 - Sara Hickman at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 1, 2007)

In my case, a trip to McCabe's means a round trip of one-hundred-and-two miles, so quite often I pay more for gas than for the concert ticket itself. Wasting money is not my thing, so I choose my concerts carefully - in most cases, when I buy my tickets, I pretty much know what to expect from the performer. Sara Hickman's appearance at McCabe's in 2007 was a rare exception - I remember driving to McCabe's and questioning the wisdom of my choice.

Three hours later, as I was driving home, I was congratulating myself for having discovered such a wonderful singer-songwriter, who  - as far as I was concerned - came out of nowhere. Typically, I don't fall for the "peace and universal love" schtick, but in Sara's case, had she asked the audience to hold hands, sway and sing, God knows I would have done it, that's how genuine and strong her message was.

Sara's set list drew heavily from "Motherlode", her then-current album. The song that hit me the hardest was "Comfort's Sigh", one of the finest mid-tempo ballads I have ever heard. Kristin de Witt, one of Sara's friends and musical collaborators, sang backup vocals on a few songs.

Sara's set was exceptionally pleasant, even though I did not know any of her songs. After the show, I went straight to her merch table and bought "Motherlode", which turned out to be a double CD.

The cover of Sara Hickman's "Motherlode" album

I can't wait to see Sara again, but sadly, Southern California is not a common stop on her touring itinerary.

McCabe's Guitar Shop - The concert room