Photo by Lukas Truckenbrod
Nicole Atkins’ voice is a study in the positive effects of harnessing great natural power. Her small frame (can’t be more than 5′ 2″) belies the volume and grace that streams directly from her bottomless spring of potential energy. Her live band, no more than a guitar and drummer, pair with the radiant vocals to accentuate the ensemble’s ability to create a huge sound seemingly more than the sum of its constituents.
Photo by Lukas Truckenbrod
I witnessed Atkins and Co. at the Belmont in Austin’s posh West 6th corridor this Friday night with local support from the always-vibing Abram Shook. Shook’s groove-inflected indie rock was outfitted with two backup singers, an opportunity that Shook called rare in a post-set conversation. The seven-piece jammed the smaller indoor stage without feeling too big for its boots.
Photo by Lukas Truckenbrod
Atkins followed with her two-piece, pleasantly offering a variety of old and new tracks. Starting her career on Columbia Records, she says she started with her dessert, as she told KUTX earlier in the day during an in-studio interview and performance. Happier now on her third album, she has decided to release it independently on her own label. As she said in the interview, she didn’t get into music business for the business; there are creative limitations on major labels as well as smaller independent labels, and she wishes to freely use her creative abilities.
Photo by Lukas Truckenbrod
On stage, Atkins has two microphones – one she carries around the stage and one vintage microphone attached to vocal processing pedals she utilizes to push her voice into grandiose sonic realms. Her tunes are deeply roots-inflected, rife with hooks and catchy refrains. Tight blues-inspired hooks and disco-drumbeats work well with Atkins’ aggressive Roy Orbison-esque lead vocals. Like Orbison, Atkins’ voice breaks and bends in places, offering a fleeting glimpse into the story behind the song. It sails and croons and then falls and shatters, revealing a deeper side to her rootsy power-pop songs. Rockers are paired nicely with waltzy ballads that demonstrate her and the band’s ability to achieve a number of emotions. The small crowd (almost filling half the room) was enthusiastic and cheered when some of the recognizable hits started off, especially her biggest tune, “Maybe Tonight.”
Check out photos of the evening below. All images © Lukas Truckenbrod & Pop Press International. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
