Friday's Earful: Licorice; Rebecca Hart

By: David Schultz

Mixing New York’s wealth of fine music with the spectacular sights of the Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty, the shows that make up the Rocks Off Concert Cruises series give New Yorkers a great excuse to act like tourists while gawking at the local attractions. That you get to listen to great music being played within arms reach make the whole experience something special, if not a little surreal. This past Wednesday, Licorice, the headliners of Earvolution’s second New York showcase, teamed up with Rebecca Hart, one of the stars of the Earvolution’s first, to make up a less Neil Diamondish version of a Hot August Night.

Despite threats of rain in Biblical proportion, the weather held, making it a beautiful night to be on the water. Licorice made the most of the watery expanses. From the prime-for-selling-out to Facebook “What’s Your Status In London” through the Jerry Garcia Band inspired coda to “A Million Grains Of Sand,” the headlining slot affording them ample time to extend many of the songs, showing off their exceptional musicianship. On a cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” keyboardist Chad Dinzes turned the typically confrontational vocals into a sly, subtle threat before the crushing beat segued into Miles Davis’ “Black Satin.” With Hart joining in, they offered a thematically appropriate and funky cover of “Take Me To The River" and closed the night by managing to toss one of Josh Bloom's drum sticks around the stage, a not inconsiderable feat given the waves rocking the boat.

The pixyish Hart is equal parts brash frontwoman and vulnerable deadpan comedian, her stage training giving her a comfort level in relating to the audience and being the center of attention. Acoustic guitar in hand, she adds the sexy to her band, The Sexy Children, comprised of Licorice’s Dave Lott and Matt Epstein and drummer Dan Barman. Adding a couple new songs to those on her recently released Live At Joe’s Pub, Hart played a marvelous opening set, guaranteeing good press by dedicating a cover of “Whipping Post” to your humble narrator. Distracting everyone from the fact that most people immediately considered me the most abusive bastard on the boat, Hart belted out the final stanza with a staggering power that left the uninitiated stunned.