Kimya Dawson live January 19, 2008

“I love me some Philly,” Kimya Dawson wrote in a MySpace bulletin Jan. 16. She wasn’t kidding; as part of a promotional tour for the Juno soundtrack, Dawson booked two Philadelphia shows for Saturday, Jan. 19. The first show, originally scheduled for the First Unitarian Church and moved to Rittenhouse Square, was an afternoon affair with Karl Blau and Angelo Spencer. I'd like to write about it, but tickets sold out. The second show, a free event held at A.K.A. Music, boasted around 45 minutes of old and new songs from Dawson. Thank goodness she enjoys this area so gosh dang much, because I managed to get into the second show.

Soft-spoken and visibly exhausted, Dawson took out an acoustic guitar (or so I assume. A.K.A. doesn’t really have a “stage,” rendering Dawson invisible behind a thick mass of bespectacled youths) and began her set with “Tire Swing,” one of her tunes featured on the Juno soundtrack. Soon after, fans in the cramped, hot space of A.K.A.’s upstairs area sat down jigsaw style, with legs bending however which way the space allowed. Good thing I played so much Tetris as a kid.

Once everyone settled down, Dawson emerged into view. Short and awkward, it’s almost hard to believe she’s the author behind abrasive, badass lines like “F--- Bush and f--- this war” and “You said, ‘You’re gross my darling’/I said, ‘No I’m rock and roll.’” Indeed, Dawson was at her most casual when singing. Perhaps a mix of traveling, having a baby and social anxiety made conversation a little difficult.

Luckily, songs like “The Beer” and “Underground” spoke for her. Gentle guitar lines stayed low under Dawson’s voice. The middle of her set included several songs she had been working on for a record of babies’ tunes. The most touching of the bunch was a tune she wrote for her own child, Panda. Short and simple, the ditties proved to be just as entertaining for teens and adults as they will for infants.

Dawson eventually found her voice by the end of the set. She related the story of how the Juno tour came about. At one point, it was proposed she do a series of Virgin Megastore performances—something Dawson abhorred. This stance segued into a discussion of how it was important to support local record stores over corporate chains. Best Buy’s lower prices come with a heavier cost than one might realize. Additionally, Dawson held that smaller stores generally have more character, that one could build a relationship with an independent store clerk.

“Sometimes music clerks are just pricks,” she admitted, “But it still beats pricks who work at Borders.”

While the heat nearly got to Dawson, exhausted and sweating beneath her mighty afro, and almost knocked out one fan, the show followed through wonderfully. After concluding with “Loose Lips,” also showcased on Juno, Dawson bowed out to applause. After two shows, she seemed pooped, but not too tired to give fans a few hugs. Feel free to check out Juno for a crash course in Dawson. Her recordings are just as cute, comedic and insightful as her live shows.