Spencer Day
The Green Room 42, NYC, August 17, 2018
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg for Cabaret Scenes
Spencer Day may describe himself as “the gayer John Mayer,” but the performer he brings to mind is the late Peter Allen—singer, songwriter, pianist, raconteur, and ball of energy. In other words, he is a complete entertainer.
Watching Day perform a song, one can see the music emanating not just from his throat, but from his entire body, literally down to his fingers, which often express the meanings with independent fervor. Of course, when the ballad calls for it, he can bring it all down to a dramatic stillness.
In the middle of his residency at The Green Room 42, offering up a different show each month, Day included a variety of material, much of it his own.
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Applying new Sammy Cahn-like lyrics to “August (Autumn) in New York,” he reduced the audience to knowing laughter as he compared the city to Calcutta in July. At the center of the show were a grouping of songs about the temptations and disappointments of another city—Los Angeles—ranging from the wittily funny “Too Old to Sleep My Way to the Top” to the mysterious “Ghost of the Chateau Marmont” to the bitterly knowing “The California Yes,” the latter delivered by special guest Eric Ulloa.
Day’s interpretations of others’ work was just as convincing. An incredibly touching version of “Fernando” connected to a remembrance of being an exchange student in Mexico where his first stirrings of political awareness and romantic interests occurred.
And a vocalized version of Ravel’s “Bolero” leading into a medley of “South of the Border” and “Perdido” was filled with both passion and wit.
The show was capped off with a penetrating interpretation of “Something Cool.”
The fine work of Alex Wintz (guitar), Matt Aronoff (bass), and Aaron Seeber (drums), was featured throughout and provided fine musical support, as well as anchoring the often capricious star.
