Sharon Van Etten - Union Hall 5/7/10

Sharon Van Etten played a intimate Friday night show last night at Union Hall. She had just played a Chris Knox benefit show the evening before which raised over $50,000. Sharon played with Yo La Tengo, Kyp Malone and Jeff Mangum who played a set of Neutral Milk Hotel songs. The benefit show at Le Poisson Rouge was put together by Ben Goldberg of Ba Da Bing Records.

In Friday's show Sharon opened with her new tune "Give Out" and then played some of her tunes from Because I Was in Love. The lovely Cat Martino joined Sharon on stage and sang in harmony with her for two songs, one a lovely version of "Consolation Prize." Sharon then told the crowd she would try out some new tunes and if they were bad if any one had a cane they could yank her off stage. She played one of my favorite new tunes titled "Heart In The Ground" which has a nice country sound. The rest of the new material was really amazing too. After every song Sharon would exclaim "Your all still here!" She ended her set with this powerful and heavy tune that sounded like only a two hundred pound, eighty year old blues artist could sing (see video here.) which she dedicated to Ben Goldberg of Ba Da Bing Records. Sharon will be heading in studio very soon to track this new material. For an encore her and Cat returned to the stage and sung an A cappella version of "For You." She closed with one more tune it was either a cover or a new tune.

Due to a poorly timed epsom salt bath which made as tired as a zombie . . . I unfortunately missed opening acts St. Claire & Drew Victor both I heard were great.