This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
On Valentine's Day at Kingsbury Hall, pop singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan got by with a little help from her friends.
The show was called "Sarah McLachlan & Friends," and anytime a concert has that billing, it can be a little off-putting to the audience. Who are these friends who became Friends? And are they truly Friends worth seeing, or are they just friends who merely get stage time because they are friendly?
Luckily for the audience at the sold-out venue, McLachlan's Friends, Butterfly Boucher and Melissa McClelland, proved to be every bit as talented as McLachlan — and in some cases more impressive.
Instead of having opening acts, the amiable McLachlan told the adoring crowd at the start of the show, she wanted to have Boucher and McClelland onstage with her throughout the show and occasionally perform their own songs with McLachlan's band.
The majority of the show was devoted to McLachlan's material, drawn from throughout her career, and she was backed by six musicians, including Boucher on bass and vocals and McClelland on guitar and vocals.
The tanned and toned McLachlan was radiant at age 43, with a black vest, black boots and black leggings accented by a red blouse for the occasion. Backed by a simple set design that included drapes lit in warm yellows, blues, and reds and three chandeliers that looked more like lanterns, McLachlan sang vibrantly as fog swirled around her. Her band supported her with her trademark atmospheric soundscapes.
But the problem with McLachlan is that while her songs are deeply personal and emotional, her delivery seemed muted, as if she was simmering endlessly, keeping you at a distance. She sounded flawless, but you waited for an intensity that never erupted. It was pleasant and professional, but almost sterile. The most approachable part of her night was when she answered questions posed to her from the audience, which incidentally was a nice touch.
So when Boucher and McClelland were able to take center stage and perform their own songs, the tone of the show changed considerably, with these two hungry women performing as if this was their lone chance at the limelight.
And both of them, each 31 years old and each with jet-black hair, seized it.
Boucher's "To Feel Love" and "Another White Dash" catalyzed the energy in the room, and McClelland's "Passenger 24" capitalized on it and became the highlight of the night. McClelland's raw, edgy guitar work and her high soprano blended sublimely, and with a proud and smiling McLachlan singing back-up, the moment was transcendent in a night that rarely was.
The lesson of the night was that next time the Canadian McClelland and Australian Boucher arrive in town on their own, lend them your ears and they'll sing you a song, and you will believe in love at first sight.
Review: Sarah McLachlan
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With • Butterfly Boucher and Melissa McClelland.
Where • Kingsbury Hall, 1395 E. Presidents Circle, University of Utah campus, Salt Lake City.
When • Monday.