The Bird and the Bee, and baby makes three

Kevin Bronson on
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thebirdandthebee-inara-mar5By Meriah Doty

It was a night of surprises and emotion at the sold-out El Rey Theatre on Friday as a very pregnant Inara George walked onstage with crimped hair, an ’80s-styled frock and an ear-to-ear grin. Joined by her collaborator in the Bird and Bee, keyboardist Greg Kurstin, and an all-star band that included bass player Justin Meldal-Johnsen, George was clearly having fun – whether performing original material, songs from their forthcoming “Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates” or bantering with friends about her impending motherhood.

George and her husband Jake Kasdan are due to become parents on April 30, she told the crowd in one of many exchanges that had the casual familiarity of, as she said, “a Q&A.” And, yes, she admitted, “This is ambitious of me. … I want the baby to kick!”

The set did plenty of that, especially when John Oates himself joined George and her band onstage. Tacitly acknowledging the recent death of his band’s longtime bassist, T-Bone Wolk, Oates said “I really need a dose of feel-good tonight.” The crowd exuded full support – applauding him during his guitar solos, which snapped the performance briskly out of the realm of homage.

The set was indelible with moments of comedy, celebration and sadness. It was fitting as George’s songs themselves tend to be quite happy on the surface, but often thinly veil a great vulnerability and sadness. Having said that, the Hall & Oates covers – which included an Oates-George duet on “She’s Gone” – were 100% fun, and the whole room seemed to be celebrating her life shift.

It is clear the Bird and the Bee have come a long way since I first saw them at their second show ever, an intimate performance at the now-defunct Tangier in June 2006.

Juliette Commagere was not only the opening act that night, but also served as a backup singer and keytar player for George and Kurstin. She is getting play on KCRW, and her songs are ethereal and deliberate, with their reflective tone, ringing notes, powerful chords and tasteful bass drum adding up to a powerful cinematic effect. Commagere, along with bandmates Joachim Cooder and Martin Pradler, is finishing up work on the follow-up to her 2008 album “Queens Die Proudly.”

||| Watch: A webcast of the concert via Livestream.

Photos by Meriah Doty

Meriah Doty is an occasional contributor to Buzz Bands.