A Camp Get Help From All-Star Musicians in New York

Posted on Nov 18th 2009 12:30PM by Laura Leebove
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When A Camp's Nina Persson sang, "Now we're gonna party like it's 1699" at her band's show on Tuesday night, she was only half kidding. With plume-adorned microphone stands, an elegant grand piano, sunset-colored lamps and dark blue mood lighting, New York's Le Poisson Rouge was decorated more like an old-fashioned cabaret than a Manhattan music club. Persson, best known as the singer for Swedish band the Cardigans, fit right in with a lacy black-and-gray dress, feathered headband, and a polite curtsy to close several of her songs.

In front of a crowd mostly seated at tables throughout the usually standing-room-only venue, Persson, her guitarist/composer husband Nathan Larson and guitarist Niclas Frisk played tracks from A Camp's two LPs, 2001's self-titled debut and this year's 'Colonia.' To back up the trio was an impressive cast of friends that included ex-Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, horn players Kelly Pratt and Jon Natchez of the band Beirut, violinist Maxim Mostin and cellist Julia Kent of Antony and the Johnsons, ex-Guided by Voices drummer Kevin March and Canadian singer-songwriter Emm Gryner.

In this intimate live setting, Persson was captivating and theatrical. Her powerful mezzo was always on key, accompanied by flailing arms, coy facial expressions and a few brief moments of choreographed high-kicks. Throughout the set she sang songs about math ('Algebra'), failed relationships ('Love Has Left the Room,' 'I Signed the Line'), and love versus religion ('Colonia' single 'Stronger Than Jesus'). 'Golden Teeth and Silver Medals,' a sugary-sweet duet with Frisk (it's sung on the record with Nicolai Dunger) was fit for a Broadway musical with the two switching verses and singing about singing ("Would you like to meet me in this song?" Persson crooned, to which Frisk replied, "I've been hoping to"). Then, from its recent 'Covers' EP, the band took on Grace Jones' 'I've Done It Again' with Persson playing a percussion block with her wedding ring since she couldn't find the instrument's other half.

With the extra hands forming a mini-orchestra of sorts, the addition of strings, horns, a flute, saxophones, piano, percussion and guitar made the night's bill as "A very special evening with A Camp" exactly that indeed.