Review: The Garden Party with Simone White

Somewhere in a quaint yet modern courtyard near the Venice boardwalk, there was an intimate gathering. In this gathering sat various groups of friends who chatted away with the person to their right holding a red stripe bottle or perhaps with a new person they had just met. It would have been rather cold on a night like this, but with a fire lit just inside the gates everyone seemed to be getting comfortable.

People came and went as they walked across the gravel scattered with stones in front of a simple stage set up against the building. Soon, the gathering turned into a party and the night could have easily gone down a wild path. However, when Simone White walked into the setting with her long, flowing skirt and her big bright eyes, people behaved. The chit chats were hushed and we waited for an introduction.

With a small glass of whiskey, some throat spray, and a water bottle next to her, Simone White set the tone with her first song. Her lyrics were both sharp and gentle, her eyes telling her story a little deeper as her hands gracefully strummed the guitar. Although she bashfully made conversation with her audience with one foot placed above the other in linear position, she was bold in performance. With poignant lyrics such as “Listen mother, I lost my man. He was shot down in a foreign land [...] We used to stand so tall,” Simone White made it apparent that she could be endearing but also strong-willed.

She was polite enough to ask us, “Should we do another one?” Our  answer was yes without saying a word. You could feel the breeze sneak in every now and then, but the crackling in the fire was a sound that comforted us along with the way Simone articulated every word. Although her tone (which was reminiscent of both Joni Mitchell and Regina Spektor) was soothing, the way she enunciated her words was the one of the most captivating things about her as she played the rest of her set. Making sure you don’t miss a word she has to say, Simone and her warm melodies kept us warm on this cool night.

Simone White is a singer-songwriter who is beautifully poised in her art. Having the skill to find the perfect balance of strength and fragility, her music completed the night. It was as if she were a puzzle piece who just happened to arrive fashionably late. Once correctly placed in, she completed the entire picture just as the cool night’s breeze was balanced by the warmth of the fire.

Photography courtesy of Annmarie Phibin, Michael Pomeroy, and Taylor Loftin