It is always a pleasure to see Jenny Allen and Leslie Alexander play live. But unfortunately never seem to get a good crowd in Lethbridge. But they are well on their way to being Canada’s version of American folk, feminist duo the Indigo Girls. But they both have their own individual styles. Allen is a little more blues and folk based, while Alexander is a little more rock and roll, which mesh really well together.
They showed they have really stepped up their game in their fifth appearance at the Slice, Oct. 13.
They sang and played in perfect synchronicity through a couple super sets of original material form their latest CDs “ Leslie Alexander’s “Nobody’s B
aby” and Allen’s “Blanket as well asa new one.
They sang lead on two songs apiece, while adding guitar, harmony vocals and percussion to each others’ songs before handing over the spotlight. Allen added a couple of songs from her band the Fates as well as her own material.
Alexander sang a couple of my favourites rom her new CD, “NOLA” about New Orleans and my absolute favourite “Supergirl,” on which Allen added some washboard, while Alexander added an inimitable kazoo solo.
They played together just about perfectly and looked completely at home, together on the stage.
Allen added a little bit of blues as well to their mix of upbeat , melodic folk/ pop music.
Alexander told a funny story about her “very, bad, four legged moustachioed pussycat,” then sang a new song about the cat bringing her gifts of dead birds.
They were called for an encore and showed off their influences as they played a Steve Earle song and a Lucinda Williams tune to end their second set.
