DALLAS – Much like the classic and vintage surroundings of the Lakewood Theater in Dallas, Rachael Yamagata and Mandy Moore held true to the theme.
Although, their sets may have been a tad short lived, it gave way to a pleasant Thursday (Aug. 31)evening.
Yamagata started the night with an accaplea number and proceeded to woo the crowd with her humble charm and sensible melodies. The singer/songwriters dark, raspy alto combined with her piano, or some cases, guitar, created a fusion of soul and pop reminiscent of Norah Jones or Fiona Apple.
All in attendance were on their feet when a female fan in the front asked for a kiss. Of course, she did not disappoint, to the liking of the anxious crowd.
In typical Yamagata style, seconds into her finale “Reason Why,” she paused and said with a smile, “You guys can’t take me seriously now.”
After a few laughs, she continued to finish the heartfelt ballad to complete an enjoyable set.
The headliner Moore took the stage with a bang introducing capable live band to accompany her trademark voice.
The 22-year-old pop star-turned actress showed she has come a long way from her first single “Candy,” and performed songs off her latest effort, “Wild Hope.” Falling back on her experiences thus far in her life, she relates this to her audience with noticeable emotion and energy – even shedding some tears in the bare “Gardenia”.
It was not all tears with new takes on Rhianna’s “Umbrella” and her teen hit, “Candy.”
Although Moore may be charting in unfamiliar territory, her disposition on stage seems as though she is making music her way, without worrying about what the world thinks of her.
For those expecting a night of teen pop were sorely mistaken. The duo of Yamagata and Moore provided a small taste of what is yet to come from these evolving artists.