What a pleasure to hear live music again! Singer-songwriter James Oblak, accompanying himself on Casio keyboard and donating his tip money to Black Lives Matter organizations, sang, mostly romantically, at Cherry’s on June 6 with no indoor audience and was a pleasure to hear, from the walk, from the dock, wherever.
Our singer began dulcetly with “Chariot,” with some excursions into head voice. He followed a loving “Brown Eyed Girl” by recognizing, realistically, “I Knew You Were Trouble (when you walked in).” Obak sang of relishing “Walking in Memphis”—some great mixed-voice singing there, too. He connected Britney Spears’ “Lucky” with the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” finale and told us that these are hard times indeed “On Broadway.”
He channeled Macy Gray with a wistful “I Try (to say goodbye and I choke).” An affectionate “Your Song” and “This Love,” with intensity, came next. He wondered, dreamily, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and, zestfully, “What Up,” inviting singing along with the latter. He shared, quietly, then forcefully, that he was “Feeling Good” He debuted his take on “I want to stand with you on a mountain,” expressing devotion.
There was an interlude with Tammy Spanx soulfully singing “The Neon Moon,” with Oblak accompanying and sometimes harmonizing with her.
In his own song “Addict,” Oblak effectively conveyed ambivalence, beginning “You make me feel like an addict” and continuing with a refrain of “You never had it in the first place,” and anticipated better times to come in “Waiting for the World to Change.” He improvised a short song about Leila the dog, whose owner was present, and radiated bravery and determination in “I Will Survive.” He gave us a lusty “I’m Gonna Be (I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 miles more).” He observed, philosophically, in Alicia Keys’ song, “If I Ain’t Got You (some people want it all),” and closed in grand style with “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.”
Follow James Oblak on Instagram and find his music on iTunes and Spotify.