Material: Many songs on her spirited yet deeply heartfelt U.S. debut Ready For The Sun allude to her move to Los Angeles from Europe (where she’s already enjoying solid success) to launch her Stateside career. The set started with great conviction, commenting on her bold move via the mid-tempo, anthem-like “Stronger,” a song about the need for an emotional anchor during times of upheaval. She balanced lighthearted pieces like “You Bring Me Luck” with songs of graceful vulnerability— “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye.” Excited about her vocal contributions to the late Leonard Cohen’s final recording, Andreadis achieved her rawest, most intimate moment with a haunting interpretation of her idol’s “Dance Me to the End of Love.”
Musicianship: True to the Hotel Café acoustic spirit, Andreadis stripped down from the full production of her album and spent most of the set singing center stage while Chaves—a multi- instrumentalist who engineered and mixed Cohen’s You Want It Darker—accompanied her steadily with rhythms and rich harmonies generated by acoustic and electric guitar and keys. Andreadis shifted gears a few times to the keys as well. Though Chaves was clearly in a supporting role, the two shared a spirited chemistry throughout, which added to the emotional thrust of her performance.
Performance: Whether sharing uplifting encouragement or reflecting gently and whispery on the darker intricacies of love, the artist’s tunes are so infectious and engaging that if she stood still at center stage, her voice would be captivating enough to sustain a full show.
But her cool, sensual and emotive movements and expressions brought texture to her overall narrative. She also interspersed much- appreciated anecdotes about her Europe to California journey, including a witty observation: “L.A. is Greece and London combined.”
Summary: In a stream happy world where itchy listeners jump from one artist’s track to another, this performer makes the bold move of introducing her powerhouse vocals, songwriting depth and exciting array of emotional insights and ups and downs via a 13-track full-length album. The eight originals she played revealed her as an artist in tune with the light and dark sides of herself, and her artistry revealed a soul that can uplift the spirits of others.
The Players: Athena Andreadis, lead vocals, keyboards; Michael Chaves, guitars, keyboards, percussion, bass, BV’s.
Venue: Hotel Café
City: Hollywood, CA
Contact: [email protected]
Web: athenaandreadis.com
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