Regina Spektor solos on Coachella's big stage

By Ali Standish

I always get a little nervous watching someone perform for the first time. If they don’t play well or are rude to their audience, it kind of ruins the magic of the music for you. A couple years ago, when I saw Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes get trashed on stage and throw equipment at his stagehands, I didn’t listen to the band for months afterwards.

That's why I was a little leery about seeing Regina Spektor, one of my current favorites, at Coachella. I love her voice, her quirky lyrics, and her beautiful piano sequences. But would those come through in a live set at the festival?

I shouldn't have worried. Regina came out on Coachella Stage, the huge main stage of the festival’s five, completely alone. With two enormous monitors zoomed in on her face, she took the mic and with a smile immediately began to sing a cappella. She stayed on stage alone, playing piano, drumming on her bench, and singing for the first three songs. Her vocal intensity and capacity was even more amazing on stage and in person than on her albums, and she performed beautifully.

Yet when she spoke throughout her set, her voice was small and girly, humble to the point of being apologetic when she asked the audience if we were still okay in the heat. Even when her keyboard stopped working midshow, she kept a smile on her face and picked up her guitar. She was composed but still genuine, and by the end of the set my only regret was that I didn’t know her personally.