Sara Hickman Concert Review

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Sara Hickman: Close to Heaven, But Down to Earth

© 1994 by Joel Siegfried

Venue: The Coach House
Place: San Juan Capistrano, California
Date: 16 October 1994

With the whirlwind Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati Tori weekend behind me, I turned my attention to the music of Sara Hickman, who was appearing live just one hour north of San Diego at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

It was one of those perfect Southern California October days, brilliantly sunny and balmy. The palm trees streamed by in a blur as I headed north in I-5, wondering what it was like to drive the Coast Highway in the 1930s. I was feeling mellow and at peace with the world.

Soon I was at The Coach House (where Tori had played on September 5th, 1992). It is right behind the San Juan Tire Company, hidden from the road. If you didn't have directions, you'd never find it. But it is perhaps the premier venue for talent in Orange County, and arguably all of Southern California, situated half-way between L.A., San Diego and Riverside, no more than an hour's drive for 14 million people. After collecting my ticket from will-call I had a chance to explore the facility. A long bar runs the length of the back wall, opposite a large, elevated stage at the front of the room. There is a narrow balcony to the left side, decorated with a drum set, a bunch of speakers, and a red roadster, perhaps a 1953 Austin Healey. Long tables radiated outward from the stage, in parallel rows. The back of the room has smaller tables, and as best as I could reckon, seating capacity was about 680. Photographs of talent who have appeared here line the walls; I only wished that I had time to examine all of them. Instead, I took a seat at the very back, and with the kind permission of the staff, was able to listen to the opening performers do their sound checks. These included a woman with long red tresses named Kerry Getz who played acoustic guitar, and yet another female vocalist/guitarist named Amy Boveé whose back-up also played guitar, but whose name I missed. I chatted briefly with Kerry when she had finished rehearsing, and promised to talk more after her set. Before Sara took the stage for her sound-check, I was asked to take a place in the line outside.

There were two women in line ahead of me and we struck up a conversation. Lonnie Lewis was a dedicated fan of Sara's, and one of the "Necessary Angels" who had donated $100 to help produce Sara's third album, and from which the release took it's title. (There was some conflict with one of the labels over ownership of the material, and Sara had to buy back her music and produce the album herself). Lonnie's friend Chris was new to Sara's music, and this was her first concert. Just then a lovely blond-haired woman who looked like an angel walked over to us, and Lonnie introduced me to Sara Hickman.

Through this wonderful, serendipitous circumstance, Sara and I got to know each other. I was struck immediately by her beauty, but also by her strength and grace. Her handshake was firm and strong, her gaze direct. I told her what a treat it was to finally meet her, that I had practically worn out Shortstop, her second album, and was just becoming acquainted with Equal Scary People and Necessary Angels. She seemed pleased, and graciously offered to sign each cover for me. Instinct told me to show her the photo taken a week ago in Cincinnati with a "friend". "Oh, Tori! Neat!", she said. "She did back-up on one of the songs on my new album, but we had to cut it; we'll use it eventually, hopefully on my next cd." Before she could finish signing, she was called inside for her sound-check. "We'll talk later", she said, waving good-bye. This was a woman who moved with such casual grace and confidence; I would have to get to know her better. Lonnie had told me about her trip to Romania working on behalf of a girl's orphanage. She was extraordinary, that was certain. I was feeling so happy.

Soon we were ushered inside and seated. I was at one of the tables just to the left of center, about 2 feet from the stage. I would not need my binoculars tonight! The ticket cost $12, and was to be the best entertainment buy of the year. A waitress appeared, told me her name was Laurie, and took my order. Drambuie on the rocks, sautéed mushrooms, veggie plate. Everything was yummy. At 8 p.m, Amy Bovee and her backup took the stage and did a 30-minute set about failed relationships, love and longing. Her music welled from the heart, was mellow and witty, and delivered with great power and emotion. I liked her immediately. After a short break, Kerry Getz was introduced. Again, the songs were torches, but she introduced them with wry humor and sarcasm. I thought she was beautiful. And when she told about the fights she had with her brother, stealing his guitar while growing up, and losing him last year as an introduction to a song she wrote for him, I was moved to tears, grateful that the room was dark.

There was another break when Kerry was finished, time for dessert and coffee. I judged the crowd to be about 270. Also more apparent, was the fact that the room was well-ventilated and completely smoke free, maybe due to a local ordinance, or the policy of the club's owner. I walked to the entrance way to stretch and chat with Kerry. She promised she would put my name on her mailing list, and I promised that I would see her again. Amy was selling a tape at a small table. I wanted to buy one but was practically cashless. She wrote down her address on the back of one of my cards, and I promised to send her a check. As Sara was being announced, I returned to my table.

Here is what she sang, taken directly from her play-list:

Sister & Sam
Song For My Father
Too Fast
Moment of Grace
I of the Storm
Joy
I Couldn't Help Myself
Best of Times
Valentine's Day
Shadowboxing
In the Fields
Tiger
Train Song

And for encores:

Kayaking
This Heart
Simply
Last Night Was A Big Rain

She sang songs from each of her three albums. Her voice is magnificent, her musicianship incredible! She strummed her guitar furiously, without a pick, plucked at the strings, slapped and beat it like a drum. I could not take my eyes off of her. And I cannot say enough nice things about this woman. If you do not know her work, give yourself a treat. Pick up a copy of Shortstop. Play it, and you will be hooked, as I am. Her stage presence is electric, riveting. Her chatter with the audience is seamless, spontaneous, and more than just stage talk. She was dressed in a brown broad-square pattern dress, white T-shirt, and black clog shoes. At one point, near the end of her act, she removed her shoes and socks, having told us that a fan had stolen one of her socks on her last appearance here! Her bare feet were tiny and beautiful. More than anything else, I noticed that Sara was totally enjoying herself, filling the room with her wonderful music, projecting tremendous energy and love, and responding in kind to the adulation and cheers with smiles and laughter. We often made eye contact. At first, I thought it was coincidence that I would smile and she would smile back. But then I realized that it was deliberate on her part. When she finally concluded her last encore, I stood up and blew her a kiss. She waved to me and mouthed "thank you". When I caught up with her later, by the front exit, she told me how nice it was to find a new friend right by the stage, and gave me a wonderful hug. Then she said, "Oh, I haven't finished signing your albums. May I do that now?" I was floored that she remembered, and that she was still up to that after such a tremendous output. I asked her where she was going next. "To Dallas, to do 5 shows with a group I'm in called Domestic Science Club, and then back to Romania, to visit the orphanage that I'm helping." I told her that if she needed anything, to rescue an album, or anything else, she could count on me. On one of the albums, she signed: "To Joel, A sudden angel! Best of love and life --Sara". Of course I was in heaven.

What angel wouldn't be?

-=END=-

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