Elia Bel made a big splash in San Diego. In a previous life, she could have been a mermaid or a mythic siren luring sailors to become shipwrecked upon her shores. But in this incarnation she is an incredible talent, a singer-songwriter from Down Under whose current release on Foghorn Records, At the Bottom of the Sea, has six cuts of seamless musical perfection.

Her Australian band Once Upon A Time visited San Diego in late March, 1999 after playing gigs in Los Angeles, Dallas and Austin, Texas. I caught their performances at Twiggs Tea & Coffee on Friday, 26 March, when they opened for Jeff Berkley and the Javilinas, and again the following night at Claire de Lune, where another Aussie band, Montana, opened for them.

Once Upon A Time is fronted by Elia on vocals, guitar and shakers, Sarah Peet on acoustic cello, electric bass and backup vocals, Saul Nightingale on drums, and Dave Barraclough on acoustic guitar. On Friday night at Twiggs, Saul played guitar, filling in for Dave who was in Los Angeles on a gig. The name of the band is aptly-chosen, in that the lyric-driven music, all written by Elia, deals with modern day fables and parables about relationships, losses and gain, and cosmic questions, often without answers. Sometimes they are cautionary tales, or wistful musings. Always they are riveting and compelling. These are not your grandmother's fairy tales!

I was touched and moved by her music, which was sensual, explicit, erotic, haunting, playful, and varied from rock, to ballads. One man in the audience said they reminded him of the Beatles. That's not bad company to keep!

The set list was culled from the current album, along with at least one cut, God, from the band's self-titled previous release, now out-of-print, and several new tunes. One song, Mother, she dedicated to an Australian friend, who was in the audience and who she hadn't seen in years. Another song, Universe, she dedicated to a new friend, for encouraging her to perform in San Diego. I was really moved by its beauty and cosmic message of love. There is no doubt that the audience enjoyed their set. One of the owners of Twiggs who was standing in the back, told me afterwards that he really liked their music and thought they were a fresh, original sound.

Sarah Peet played stand up cello, electric bass, and backed up Elia on some of the vocals. Classically trained, she produced rich, mellow sounds from her hundred year old instrument. Saul Nightingale was fantastic on guitar, and seemed like he was having a great time. They played for almost 40 minutes, and the audience was very attentive, and applauded loudly. It was a great show.

At Claire de Lune, the following night, Michelle Margherita, electric bass and vocals, and Paul Scott, vocals and acoustic guitar, of Montana took the stage along with Dave Barraclough of OUaT on electric guitar, and the opening music began. Everyone was having a good time, the restaurant staff, the musicians, and the audience who were starting to trickle in. They played cuts from their album Nearer, pulsing acoustic rock melodies, with sudden stops, and harmonies that cut in and out like fast cars racing along the I-5, trying to make it to L.A. before the bars closed. It was a gas!

Finally the opening set ended and Elia and her band took the stage, this time aided by Dave Barraclough who had also played with the first band. Marshall Cullen of Damien Gerard Sound Studios in Sydney, Australia, the band's road manager, worked the sound board. Elia, dressed in black tonight, and Sarah Peet in a fresh green blouse, with Saul Nightingale grinning behind the drum set, made music which pulsated through the room, more complex and layered than the night before, but still driven by the intimate, confessional vocals, and Elia's sensuous delivery. Sarah alternated between playing electric bass and stand-up acoustic cello. Elia introduced another new song, Intuition, and dedicated it to one of her friends. It was plain to see that she gave careful thought to matching music and moods to particular persons in the audience.

The crowd's favorites seemed to be Toothbrush in the Shower, a tale of modern romance and survival, At the Market, a parody of impulsive behavior and love, 8 in the Morning, about the stress of transitioning from dreams to reality, I'm Not Sorry, an anthem about guiltless actions, and Universe with its cosmic themes of love and healing. Yet, every song drew loud applause and shouts of approval. Here was music that was uplifting, thought provoking, and empowering. It was better than therapy, and like Yoga without the deep breathing.

When it ended, there were smiles on faces around the large performance space. Elia and the band graciously circulated to talk with the audience, and sign autographs. It would be a night to remember, with stars in the sky and fishes swimming in the sea.