Alex Mohajer
Arrogant Social Climber
Rockwell Table & Stage, Los Angeles, CA, June 5, 2016
Reviewed by Elliot Zwiebach for Cabaret Scenes
Alex Mohajer is a powerful singer. When he uses the full power of his voice, he’s very, very good. And, when he lowers the key and holds back just a wee bit, his rich baritone shines through and he’s even better.
In an extremely thoughtful show exploring the differences between perception and intention, Mohajer achieved moments of sublime tenderness, particularly in two songs where he reflected on coping with self doubts when he was younger — a gorgeous version of Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love” that showed the performer in full control, and Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” in a dramatically solid reading. His calm versions of those songs showed off the deep feelings he was trying to illustrate more convincingly than some of the vocal histrionics he employed on the hard rock songs, although an audience of mostly friends and admirers whooped quite a bit every time he modulated upward.
Moments when he indulged himself a bit too much included using the runway extending from the stage to strut like a young Mick Jagger during the high-energy “In the Night” (The Weeknd), laying down on the runway while singing “Dangerous Woman” (Ross Golan/Johan Carlsson/Max Martin) and performing the raunchy “Pillowtalk” (Zayn Malik/Anthony Hannides/Michael Hannides/Levi Lennox/Joe Garrett) while sitting in a chair, being blindfolded and having his shirt removed by a female accomplice from the audience, who knelt between his legs and occasionally sang with him.
It was that kind of back-and-forth evening — calm, then crazy, then calm again.
Mohajer opened the show effectively and movingly as an unseen voice in the dark singing “Nature Boy” (Eden Ahbez) from offstage, then immediately raised the energy level when the spotlight hit him with the hard-driving “I’m the Greatest Man That Ever Lived” (Rivers Cuomo).
As part of his attempt to demonstrate the difference between perception and intention, he did a terrific mashup that combined the thoughtful, touching “Dancing on My Own” (Robyn/Patrik Berger) with the idea of needing someone else in “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (George Merrill/Shannon Rubicam) — making an easy, natural transition from one to the other and back again.
He ended the show with a warm, believable “I Am What I Am” (Jerry Herman, from La Cage aux Folles), to make his point that everyone intends to do his or her best, regardless of what others may perceive.
Mohajer had a six-piece band backing him up — Tim Butterworth, his musical director, on piano, plus Matt Hornbeck (guitar), Max Mueller (cello), Blake Estrada (bass), Jon Butterworth (drums) and an amazing Kiara Ana Perico (violin) — along with three backup vocalists (Brielle Batino, Michelle Hernandez and Pablo Rossil) in a show directed by Clifford Bell.