Suzanne Vega Live: Solitude Standing

This intimate concert captures neo-folk singer Suzanne Vega live at the Rome Auditorium in 2003 (the same year that A&M released Retrospective: The Best of Suzanne Vega). While the two-story venue is large, Vega's calm, spare performance makes it feel more like a nightclub or coffee shop. To her 13-song set, Vega adds four poems, performing the latter a capella and the former with her own acoustic guitar, backed on bass by Michael Visceglia. Italian singer-songwriter Valerio Piccolo translates the poems, including “Italy in Spring” and “Anti-Hero,” which are consistent with the imagistic lyrics found in songs such as “Small Blue Thing” and “Marlene on the Wall.” Vega also performs the spoken-word torch song “Tom's Diner,” to which the audience adds whistles and hand claps. Regarding the readings, Vega explains to the audience that she has previously gone on poetry tours through Italy and Spain, and there is actually little distinction between her conversational singing style and her soft, yet steady speaking voice. Solitude Standing offers a fine introduction to (or refresher course on) Vega, who here performs all of her best-known songs, including “Luka.” Extras include a black-and-white slideshow that plays over a “Tom's Diner” remix, and an interview with Piccolo and Vega, who admits that, “the stage, for me, is like someone who is afraid of heights deciding to become a parachute jumper.” Presented in stereo on DVD, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)