Set List:
So Far Away
Hangover Flower
My Funny Valentine
The Hate Song
Sometimes I Wish I Had A Gun
Sunday Is The Day For Love
Everything's Wonderful
Bottom Of The Sea
Monster

Abby Travis was quite a sight. She was dressed in a hybrid costume.
The top part of her outfit was bright red bordello bustier. A
showgirl's skirt of black tassels covered her thighs, fishnet
stockings her legs. A knit red cap with devil horns completed her
ensemble. Thrift store goth? Bargain basement flapper? Her outfit
was made even more incongruous by the large bass guitar she
occasionally hauled out. Travis had a terrific stage presence--a
goofy update of a cabaret chanteuse, complete with dramatic hand-
sweeps, vamping and shimmying. She would balance on her toes like a
ballerina and pirouette across the stage. It was perfect for the
material--Travis is a session bass player (Beck was one of her more
high-profile gigs) who's moved into doing her own material. Strong
in irony, tongue firmly planted in cheek, her stuff encompasses Doris
Day pop ("Sunday"), torch songs, 20s jazz numbers and straight ahead
rock. Most of her songs have clever and witty lyrics. She's like
the bastard child of Ute Lemper and Nick Cave. Her rich alto was
accompanied by a very good pianist (unnamed) and her own bass-
playing. On the more orchestrated songs, she played a backing track
on cd, a makeshift karaoke. The show was marred by bar-talkers and
the mumblings of a madman sitting near me. She won the audience over
with a rousing version of "Sometimes I Wish I Had A Gun," a song
written by queer rocker Brian Grillo, and the humorous "Monster."
Travis is on tour with Candy Kane, a wonderful white blues-singer.
She's like Mae West--a zaftig, sex positive belter.

Her cd is called "Cutthroat Standards and Black Pop"

http://www.abbytravis.com

--Craig