I didn't even know Leah was going to be in Philadelphia until 2 days prior to this show, and only found out by dumb luck while poking around Concert Hotwire, a site that can list tour dates by artist, city or venue. If you are a music fan, it is definitely worth checking out. Now, on to the show:

Tin Angel, located in the Olde City section of Philadelphia, is a venue so small one must go outside to change one's mind. The place needs no more than about sixty or seventy people to constitute a "packed house." This is not a bad thing, since it means there is not a bad seat to be had, and the setting is quite intimate. When I arrived, I noticed that only acoustic sets are played there, on a tiny stage that could not have been larger than five or six feet square. I happily paid my $8 admission (truly a pittance to see a performer such as Leah), and went inside.

The opener was Jen Hess, an apparent regular performer at Tin Angel, judging by the cheering section at the bar in the rear of the room. I personally didn't care for her, as she struck me as a member of the Melissa Etheridge set, and I am not a Melissa fan. My companion, however, thoroughly enjoyed her performance. Judging by remarks Ms. Hess made it was a larger crowd than was normal for her, so I would assume that the majority of the audience were leahfans quietly waiting for their beloved to take the stage.

Leah arrived about five minutes before she actually went on, walking right through the same door as the audience members. I watched her make her way to the dressing room, and my gaze was met with a warm smile when she walked past my table. I usually take the things I hear about celebrities being approachable with a large grain of salt, but that gesture made me an instant believer as far as Leah is concerned.

When she finally took the stage, it was to thunderous applause. Leah made her usual fashion statement, wearing a boa-adorned black jacket over a black tank top with the sequined outline of the Playboy rabbit on it. The top was short enough to expose her navel ring, which was just above her Rolling Stones "Lips" logo belt buckle.

The show was indeed acoustic, with only one guitarist, and a drummer who was not even needed for some songs. The performance was opened with "Hell to Pay," and just like that, Leah changed my mind about acoustic sets forever. My companion noted she did not even need the accompaniment of instruments-- she belted out every song as if singing were going to become illegal at the stroke of midnight, pausing only for the applause to abate after each one. Leah was very appreciative of the applause she received, seeming almost surprised at how long it lasted.

The other seven songs in the set were mostly selections from "Veiled," but Leah broke it up with "We're Not Alone," a song she did on "Women For Women 2," a compilation CD of songs by female artists sold to benefit breast cancer research. She left the stage after an excellent performance of "Imagining You", and the calls for an encore began immediately. After a minute or two, she came bounding back energetically out of the dressing room sans boa jacket, hopped up on the stage and gave us another dose of her magic with "Kiss Me Goodbye." When she left the stage, the applause calling for a second encore went on, full-blast, for a full five minutes. We did not get one. A few minutes later, however, she came back out of the dressing room with her coat on. I stood up, planning to ask her for a quick autograph before she ran out the door. Much to my surprise, she grabbed a vacant table toward the back of the room and began greeting her adoring public as it filed out. She signed autographs, posed for photos and talked briefly to her fans. I had her sign the back cover of my "Veiled" CD booklet, and kicked myself for not bringing my camera. I told her I was disappointed that she had not been on the roster of the Camden, NJ performance of the Lilith Fair, but getting to hear her in such an intimate setting and having the privilege of meeting her afterwards more than made up for it. She responded with another warm smile that made me want to give her a hug.

My only disappointment was that she did not perform my favorite song of hers, "Will You Still Love Me." Perhaps that one does not come across very well with acoustic accompaniment, though I am in agreement with my companion that the instruments were truly unnecessary and the show would have been just as spectacular if Leah performed a cappella. On the whole, this show was definitely a 10 out of 10. I can't wait until Leah comes back to Philly.

Michael Stango