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Sara Bareilles performs polished show the Pavilion

A review of Sara Bareilles at the Bank of America Pavilion on August 30, 2011

Kevin McSheffrey, Managing Editor

Taken aback by the nearly sold out crowd at the Bank of America Pavilion on Tuesday, Sara Bareilles found herself “speechless” before her biggest Boston audience in her young career. She returned the favor, making an impact on fans as well, delivering both ballads and rockers with a touch of her famous quirkiness.

Sara Bareilles is unique in the fact that she sings the songs that any heartbroken teenage girl can relate with, yet she speaks in a tomboy language that attracts a male audience as well. As she said during her encore, “I take pride in the fact that dudes come to my shows”. And why wouldn’t they come, when this cute girl with the great voice and rockin’ piano riffs throws verbal nerd-porn out there with “Neverending Story” references and says things like “he just splooged all over you with his guitar”. Now that’s a girl anybody can get behind.

No matter who you are it was quite likely that one enjoyed Bareilles’ offering in Boston as there was something for everybody. In the four short years since releasing her smash hit “Love Song”, Bareilles has learned to work an audience and perfect a set with outstanding balance. Even the “depressing” portion of the set found many fans still on their feet for ballads like “Breathe Again” and “Basket Case”, and by the time the band huddle together for a cover of Mumford & Sons “Little Lion Man” fans had almost all but forgotten they had seats.

Acting like a real veteran of the biz, Bareilles pulled the classic “split the crowd down the middle” maneuver for the show’s climax, “King of Anything”. After getting the crowd to clap along to the chorus with the band, she assigned each side the “oh oh oh’s” that blend in so nicely with her piano part. She would return for a more timid encore, including a beautiful solo vocal rendition of “Gravity”, which displayed her range and her focus as well, keeping time amongst the distracting shouts of “We love you!” and other words of admiration. The band returned for new tune “Beautiful Girl”, a song about body image that proved that despite her potty mouth she can certainly be a role model for any young girl looking for inspiration.

With only a couple of albums to her name, Sara Bareilles has built a broad audience with her powerful voice and funky sense of humor. She said that she considered the show in Boston a “milestone” of sorts considering the overwhelming turnout. With talent like hers there’s most certainly more milestones and bigger turnouts ahead for Ms. Bareilles.

Setlist
Uncharted
Vegas
Valerie (Amy Winehouse cover)
Gonna Get Over You
Machine Gun
Many the Miles
Breathe Again
Basket Case
Bluebird
Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons cover)
Love Song
Come Round Soon
Bottle It Up
King of Anything
Encore
Gravity
Beautiful Girl
Let the Rain