Stone's Got Soul

Last night we had a last-minute opportunity to see Joss Stone at the Electric Factory. Hmm, we thought, get serenaded by a soul singer or spend some quality time with the TiVo? We opted for song instead of sitcom.

We were glad we did. Though our taste runs more toward rocking cocks than soulful vox, we weren't disappointed. Stone is good at what she does. Dressed in a mod mini dress that complemented her fuchsia hair, she belted out the first song and was in full command of the stage. Strutting back and forth catwalk style across the Turkish rug-covered stage, Stone performed an amiable mix of songs from her debut and sophomore efforts. We were surprised that her voice was even more powerful in person. And while some of her lyrics made not have moved us, what she's writing is age appropriate for a twenty-year-old.

The songstress's stage presence was playful, and she connected strongly with the audience, sharing the inspiration for her lyrics and giggling at random comments people yelled out to her. She held the Electric Factory in the palm of her hand; we had to palm our friend's junk a few times to check for wood—dude was so mesmerized he forgot his name.

We must admit, when the lights were low and she was singing as if she'd transported us all back to a smoky jazz club fifty years ago, we kind of felt ourselves developing a girl crush. A talented singer who performs with a mix of child-like joy and humility is hard to resist. Our only issue with the show was the band acknowledgement, which threatened never to end. We're all about showing appreciation, but with a seven-piece band and three back-up singers, we're thinking everyone gets a do-re-mi instead of a mini-concert.

Image via Flickr user Rocktographer.