Josh Groban "Awake Tour" Ottawa Reports & Reviews
Grandma's night out: Josh Groban at the Bank
Lynn Saxberg , The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007
"Josh Groban was anything but boring in his Tuesday night performance at Scotiabank Place," Ottawa Citizen reviewer Lynn Saxberg writes.
As it turned out, Groban was an engaging showman who gave a terrific performance. Along with a top-notch, eight-piece band consisting of Afrojazz/funk cats with a couple of string divas, he’s touring with a futuristic stage setup that filled 11 tractor trailers and enabled a grand piano to rise slowly onto the stage. Groban recruited Ottawa-area talent to make up the string and brass sections, and brought in the Cornerstone Choir for the finale.
Boring, it was not. The musicians were jaw-droppingly good, especially barefoot violinist Lucia Micarelli, who got the Led out with one solo: In fact, it looked like she was physically attacking the Zeppelin classic, Kashmir. “I don’t know how the instrument can take it,” Grandma marvelled.
The shaggy birthday boy in jeans demonstrated the power of a convincing baritone, his voice rising over the vast sound of the band. Depending on the song, he was the preacher’s son, the smooth-talking romantic or the globe-trotting prince.
Groban drew heavily from his latest, most adventurous disc, opening with the soaring You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up) and bouncing through the inoffensive Now or Never, the lush waltz So She Dances, the sweeping February Song and the funky Machine. . . .more...
He'll cure what ails ya
Birthday boy Josh Groban thrills Ottawa fans
By ANN MARIE McQUEEN, Sun Media
Wed, February 28, 2007
Josh Groban, that perennially pleasant singing sensation with the messy hair and ‘aw shucks’ persona, held 7,500 of his Ottawa fans in absolute rapture last night.
While he’s not for everyone, it was clear from the reaction at Scotiabank Place that for many Groban is the perfect musical tonic.
The man has sold more than [10 -- nope] 15 million records and no matter what you think of him - edging towards bland, or a producer of similar-sounding songs, for example - he is profoundly inoffensive, extremely likeable, and talented down to his toes. ...more...
Labels: Josh Performances, Josh Reviews-Articles, Josh Tour




























