Concert Review:
Apple takes bite out of Claremont
Campus Times
March 21, 1997
On Sunday, Fiona Apple performed live in concert at Bridges Auditorium
in Claremont. Apple is a 19-year-old native New Yorker, whose father is
an actor and whose mother is a singer, dancer, nutritionist, fitness trainer
and cook. Although her performance Sunday night was burdened by personal
problems, she overwhelmed the audience with her haunting, raspy voice and
melodic piano.
Singer and songwriter Fiona Apple has fame, a recording contract, a
headlining tour, a web page and a recent 1997 Grammy Awards appearance in
New York. Yet, even with all this, Apple was less than thrilled about performing
for her fans at Bridges Auditorium in Claremont last Sunday night.
After singing "The Child is Gone" and "Sullen Girl"-both
slow and jazz inspired-Apple announced to the audience that she was in a
bad mood.
"I'm not going to do a lot of talking between songs because I'm
really, really sad. I'm just going to leave it at that," said Apple
just before she sang "Sleep to Dream," her latest single, which
is also an MTV Buzz Clip.
Apple, whose compact disc entitled "Tidal" was released last
year, is the next in line of female performers-like Alanis Morissette, Jewel
and Tori Amos-who write their own material, play an instrument, and have
a similar style of music.
"Sorry to be a drag you guys," said Apple to the audience.
"But, when you feel like s--- and you have to get on stage and entertain
it's tough."
Although she was-as one audience member put it-a little morbid, Apple's
concert was entertaining with a nice blend of jazzy tunes, soulful lyrics
and skillful piano playing, which she did for most of the concert.
"Overall, it was a very good concert, although she did seem a little
hard on life. She didn't have anything good to say," said Amber Rodriguez,
a University of La Verne senior who attended the concert.
The third song Apple performed, and the most well received by the audience,
was "Sleep to Dream." According to Apple, the primal song, with
lyrics like "I tell you how I feel but you don't care, You say love
is a hell that you can't bear, And I say gimme mine back and then go there-for
all I care"- is about an "ass----." The song showcases Apple's
raspy and sometimes deep voice.
"Guys wouldn't talk to me because they thought I was quiet and
weird," said Apple who believes she always had to prove herself to
people since she was fifteen years old, "Which is basically my whole
life," she said.
Nineteen-year-old Apple also sang her first single-and her most recognized
to date-"Shadowboxer." The passionate song is signature of her
slow, evocative style.
Displaying her sense of humor, Apple came out later and sang a song
about sins and being bad, called "Criminal," while wearing angel's
wings-a few people got a chuckle out of it-and shaking her head frantically.
It was the most the audience saw her away from the piano, which she plays
quite well.
Later, Apple sang a song, which is not featured on her CD (she also
didn't give a title for it), about relationships.
"This is a song about realizing something's dead and getting rid
of it," said Apple.
Apple's last song was one she wrote when she was a mere fifteen, "Never
is a Promise."
"It's the closest song to me," she said.
A native New Yorker, Apple began her career by sending out demo tapes
to industry executives. Producer and Manager Andrew Slater took notice of
her and eventually signed her.
"Andy called and said he wanted to meet and we've been working
[together] ever since," said Apple in a press release.
Having just begun her tour, Apple's tour date in Claremont was her last
Southern California appearance. She began the tour March 14 in San Diego
The concert was organized by Goldenvoice, a concert promoter who is
trying to get bigger acts into the Inland Valley.
"It was nice being able to go to a concert so close. It was nice
instead of driving to Los Angeles or Hollywood," said Rodriguez.