Review: There is something about Carol Lipnik

Hey Kids , my latest review: Carol Lipnik at Pangea

There is something about Carol Lipnik…

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of stumbling into my favorite cabaret spot Pangea and witness the magic of Carol Lipnik. After a lovely dinner and Donna Summer fueled car ride with our friends Citizen Reno , Ellie Covan and the darling Oscar Pavlo, MAN-ee Champagne, myself and the gang settled into our seats with a big sigh.

That is the “thing” about Carol Lipnik, within seconds of her starting to sing she transports you from this physical plane into another state of consciousness with her ethereal voice. I gaze around the room and everyone is transfixed on her every move as she glides into “The Gypsy Wife” by Leonard Cohen. There is no pretense or over the top showmanship here – we are all on this journey together! What a revelation it is as she invites the audience to howl along with her to ‘The Werewolf Song”! And somehow with Carol’s guidance everyone seems on pitch…

Photo by Jeff Catlow

For years Carol has been supported, appreciated and lauded by the downtown cabaret scene. She has found her home at Pangea and is finally achieving the greater recognition she deserves with her first glowing New York Times review (Stephen Holden, NY Times, November 16). Sometimes the connection of time, space and talent brings everything together and creates this amazing artistic explosion. Carol is experiencing this explosion with grace and confidence as she seduces more and more new fans through original songs like “The Mermaid Blues” and “The Things that Make You Grow”.  She is backed by her long time accompanist, the brilliant Matt Kanelos who also penned my favorite song in Carol’s repertoire “Non-Violent Man”.

There are few artists that automatically make you feel like they are going to take care of you – not that you feel safe…on the contrary, the boundaries of your mind and heart are definitely challenged – but that you KNOW they will lead you on a fantastic journey, through dark and light. Committed and sincere, Carol is one of those artists and it’s rare and refreshing.

In the complexity of Carol’s voice are shades of Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell and Minnie Ripperton that make me swoon, especially in her gorgeous version of “Moon River” (in which Carol also demonstrates her skills as a musician by playing the Kazabo). And see that is another "thing" about Carol, not only a brilliant and rare musical talent, she is fun and has a great sense of humor about it all. In the end this is what makes her an artist that deserves the accolades and all the cheer. She is divine!

 

Kids if you want to forget your troubles for a couple of hours on a Sunday night make your way to Pangea to see Carol Lipnik, you’ll be glad you did and will regret it if you don’t! You can see Carol every Sunday at Pangea http://www.pangeanyc.com/

 See you at the party Kids!

 MargOH! Channing is The Boozy Chanteuse

PS- Kids Carol is nominated for two Broadway World Awards for the 2015 Cabaret Season so please go vote for her by December 31, 2015 http://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/vote2015region.cfm

MargOH!'s review of Tammy Faye's "Cabaret Marianne"

Hey Kids,

It's been forever! I need to get back to writing! I did some of my best writing on this here blog...

I had such a great time at a show I just had to say how I feel...lol! So here are my thoughts on this fabulous show I saw "Cabaret Marianne" by the wonderful Tammy Faye Starlite.

Tammy Faye Starlite’s Cabaret Marianne is as the kids say it today “Everything”

There is a new cabaret room in New York City and I love it. Pangea is a lovely intimate space with great food and drink. Hosted by Stephen Shanaghan and Arnoldo Caballero Cespedes, some are calling it the Carlyle of the East Village and a resurrection of the glory days of downtown backroom nightlife. I couldn’t agree more.

They have recently featured some of the best cabaret has to offer like Penny Arcade, Joseph Keckler, Joey Arias, Bridget Barkan, Dane Terry and Carol Lipnik, showcasing intimate and unique performances and collaborations that feel more like a gloriously hip party in the apartment of the coolest person you know.

Thursday nights in October have been all about Tammy Faye Starlite and her show Cabaret Marianne. Tammy Faye takes us on a journey through the life and career of Marianne Faithfull done with a devilishly fun flair. Two things that immediately jump out at you are that Tammy Faye has an amazing voice and total command of the stage. She takes control and puts the audience at ease allowing us to enjoy the ride with her. She is joined by a great group of musicians including Barry Reynolds who co-wrote songs with Faithfull like “Broken English” and ‘Why’d Ya Do It”. Each week she has a special guest and this past Thursday that was Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye, who joined Tammy Faye on a gorgeous version of Smith’s “Ghost Dance” (co-written by Kaye).

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the “other” Marianne Faithfull perform live. I wouldn’t categorize Tammy Faye’s show as an impersonation as much as a tribute to a life well and truly lived. She captures the hard edge of Ms. Faithfull as she talks about her sexual exploits, homeless drug days, the Beatles and the “Stones” man (her asides about Jagger and Richards are hilarious). She then rips into her aversion for her classic hit “As Tears Go By” which she refuses to sing opting for more obscure songs like “That Was the Day (The Coke Came to Nashville)”. I loved this because it is an insane idea to think Ms. Faithfull went country but she did with her album “Dreamin My Dreams”. Other highlights were a dark (and yet still not without comedic moments) “Sister Morphine” and a lovely version of fan favorite “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan”.

Tammy Faye with her slight British accent and vocal fry delivers the essence of Marianne Faithfull to us with wit, charm and eclectic writing that makes you cheer for more. Kids, do me and yourself a favor and rush over to Pangea and see Cabaret Marianne performed by the fabulously talented and stunning Tammy Faye Starlite.

Upcoming dates are  October 29 at 7:30PM For tickets and additional info go to http://www.pangeanyc.com/


See Ya at the Party Kids! MargOH! Channing