Nicole Atkins & the Black Sea

What a great set. I find your music carries a hidden power on your album that is always right there for me to either sit back and enjoy or crank it up and experience. On stage, you simply explode. I am looking forward to your new album and will be checking in on the tour dates. I will see you again. You will always be Barbs first at the Pony, and my second to none. Rock on Nicole!

nicole atkins has a fantastic voice, writes very good songs and is a cool chick. band sounded great too.

Nicole's voice was beautiful as usual! Great show and fun openers Workout and My Best Fiend

Nicole Atkins is one of the best live performers I've ever seen, and her guitarist is amazing. Quite the show.

WORKOUT was amazing!! They put on such a great show - can't wait for them to get big time!

Nicole Atkins and the Black Sea delivered an amazing performance and I hope they stop in Atlanta again!

Nicole Atkins is not only a great song writer but she is also and foremost one of the greatest voice ever. Her voice is so powerful and sounds even better live. I highly recommend seeing Nicole Atkins.

Nicole Atkins was beyond amazing and was extremely friendly with the crowd. Cotton Jones was fantastic, one of the best opening bands I have seen. The venue was very intimate and provided a great atmosphere! Will go there again!

Nicole Atkins is an awesome singer. I wouldn't miss one of her shows. It's a puzzle why she's still playing venues the size of the Magic Stick, and even more of a puzzle why she couldn't come close to filling the Stick on her latest visit. Blame it on a Sunday date, or on it being Oscar night, or maybe ineffective PR, who can say. Whatever the reason, the hundred or so who did show up got a double treat. It started with Cotton Jones, an alt-country duo backed by a tight band, marrying quirky and complex lyrics to some offbeat instrumentation (xylophone!) plus faux-steel guitar sounds from an Omnichord. A great, if short, opening set, and nice little guest spots in the main act, too. Then came Nicole and her new band the Black Sea. This tour is in support of her latest, 'Mondo Amore'. We saw a basic rock combo of drums, bass and lead, with Nicole on rhythm and even wearable tambourine. Excellent musicianship overall, with some great bottleneck work by Irina Yalkowsky. This woman has The Voice. She's been compared to Roy Orbison for range, Mama Cass for pipes, and Edith Piaf for control. And she lives up to the hype, for real. Unfortunately, for the most part even so powerful a voice often got buried in the sheer volume of the mix. I like it loud, too, but this was overwhelming. Maybe they were expecting to play a stadium instead of a loft. They certainly had the horsepower. Without another tour stop to compare this to, this could just be the fault of the venue. The overall result seemed like a lost chance -- very good, but could have been great. Her dynamics were often forced flat by being up against 11, when some subtlety would have allowed this incredible voice more room for expression. Absolutely nothing at all like her recordings. In the places where it was dialed back -- maybe not surprisingly, mostly in tunes for her previous CD -- it was compelling. She's the real deal and she deserves more. I keep hoping for her sake that she'll break out, and I'll get a chance to pay $40 to see her in a concert hall instead of $12 at the Magic Stick. And if she comes this way again, let's do us all a favor -- bribe the mixer to keep the SPL down below "jet engine", and let The Voice carry the night. (same basic review posted at Det News)

Cotton Jones, who drove four days straight to play, did not disappoint- they mixed a country twang with Southern California harmonies, and it makes a perfect soundtrack to a summer morning on the beach. Nicole's voice was clear and strong as always, and her guitarist is not to be missed! This was a crowd-pleasing show, for sure.

What can I say ? She's just a great performer. I could have watched her all night. Tremendous voice, great stage presence, nice, beautiful, love the band too. "Senior' almost spilled wine on me, but whatcha gonna do ? Nicole, I look forward to seeing you perform for MANY years to come. THANK YOU !!!!

I missed out seeing Ms. Atkins when she played at City Winery, but was just amazed at this concert at the Bowery. I couldn't believe her amazing voice and how flawlessly she sang and just kept giving so much. Cue applause. A wonderful cd release party with a few oldies in there from "Neptune City". I'm getting more and more people hooked on your music! Keep on singin'!

gay blades were unexpectedly good, nicole atkins is fantastic and in top form

Another wintry night in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, making our way to Bowery Ballroom to hear the beautiful voice of Nicole Atkins. We step inside the doors, show our tickets and head to the usual spot we like just left of center stage and find a comfortable place to stand second row. Our early arrival left plenty of time to listen to both opening acts perform. Mon Khmer is a band of very talented musicians that truly perform the music they love. This was my second time seeing them live and while they're not to everyone's taste there is just no denying their talent. The music is moody, then light, rhythmic and slow, then fast again... it creates atmosphere, and it is up to the audience to embrace it. I did, it was worth it. Next up, The Gay Blades. What can I say about a band that I've now seen three times in three very distinctly different venues?! They know how to put on a show! Such a change of pace, and so much stage energy. These three had so much charisma and spunk and the music... So much fun to be had by listening to this garage rock punk style band. They played to the crowd, for the crowd! Even if you didn't like the music, you were still going to have a good time! They really set the tone for what was to come... A celebration! After a lengthy intermission, the lights dim, and one by one The Black Sea enter the stage and the crowd excited claps and howls and then, Nicole. She was lovely and her voice was magic from note one. This is my 6th time seeing her and some variation of 'The Sea', so I tend to be biased when it comes to talking about her sound. She is truly deserving of the praise however, and tonight would be no different than previous shows. We were treated to the new songs from her recently released 'Mondo Amore' and delighted to hear a few from her debut album 'Neptune City'. Her female lead guitarist blazed through songs with a varied but very distinct tone, while the strings (violin and cello) played and added texture behind every lyric. At moments Nicole played alone, and it was a quiet moment where the entire audience hushed to listen. These moments I treasure, when an artist is given the respect that is deserved and the fans hang on to every lyric and note as if it was their last breath to take. The night was full of Ms. Atkins' friends, family, and fans and I think a few newcomers to her music were easily welcomed by show's finish. It was a night of fun, a casual and comfortable familiarity, and a wonderful way to see Nicole Atkins & The Black Sea off for their tour. There's something special about seeing a performer in their 'hometown' environment and I was glad to be a part of it. Everyone should see her live and buy her albums. Everyone!

I've been goin to shows for years, but this is one I will absolutely never forget. Nicole Atkins was magic with a voice that seemed to good to be true. When she did "Maybe Tonight" my hair stood on end. Surprisingly, the highlight of the night for me was the opener - The Gay Blades. I have NEVER seen a better stage show, never. They play with fire and feeling, nuance and humor. They burn the place to the ground and leave me gasping, begging for more. I WILL be at the Cake Shop when they play it on Feb 25th. I just bought both there albums and plan to keep them on repeat until then.

Insaaaaane! Real communicator. Great arrangements. Awesome band. Voice VOICE. Variety. Show.

She was AMAZING! Definitely a MUST-SEE for those who haven't seen her live.