thoughtcrumbs

Aimee Mann loves Portland

And we reciprocate. Last night, the Aladdin was full of love for the indie songstress. Twenty- to forty-somethings swayed in their seats, enraptured by her lithe but surprisingly powerful presence. Clad in a magenta jacket and pink tie, she alternated between guitars, bass, and piano, playing songs from all of her solo albums. I even expected a cheeky Voices Carry, but those MTV days are long behind her. While she didn't play my two favorites, Momentum and Frankenstein, her chorus of Stupid Thing was frustratingly relevant to me right now. And of course there was the requisite intelligent between-song banter. She commented on Tom Cruise's probable misunderstanding of the phrase "bring it," and she segued with a stilted "irregardless," bringing a chuckle from "the three people in the audience who still read." Catering to her band's penchant for cheesy seventies party songs ("those that balance the line between sucking and greatness"), she closed with an enthusiastic Taking Care of Business. Openers Honeydogs played catchy, Costello rock with deadpan narrative interludes. Yet again, the Aladdin confirms its place as the best music venue in the city.