"Storm Large" Wreaks Havoc on Audiences, and They Enjoy Every Minute of It!

Guest Author for this post: Larry Rosenthal 
Edited by: Heather K. 

It's hard to explain the power, the beauty, the sensitivity, the anger -- all wrapped into one six-foot, sexy entertainment package known as Storm Large.  However, if you had caught her show last Monday night at Le Poisson Rouge, you would easily understand, enjoy and respect this artist's talents.  Don't make the mistake of missing her next time she comes to town.


Storm caught my attention almost ten years ago when I listened to her album, “Hanging With the Balls,” which she recorded with her band, “The Balls.”  It’s one of the most fun albums you’ll ever hear – she’ll sing one (or two) rock song(s) to the tune of another, such as in “Abba-Gadda-Davida”, where she mashes Abba’s “Take a Chance on Me” and “Dancing Queen” to the tune of Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.”  You may have seen her on television in 2006 when she powered her way to the final five contestants on the show "Rockstar: SuperNova," where the winner would front a band with Tommy Lee, Chris Navarro and other established rockers.  You can view Storm's complete discography here.

At the Le Poisson Rouge show, the “sexually omnivorous” Storm mixed it up with slow ballads, hard-rocking “love” songs and songs that touched both ends of the spectrum.  She played one of my favorites, “I Want You to Die,” which she explained is, perhaps ironically, about being in love –

I thought you needed me, turns out I needed you
Turns out the best thing to happen to you was losing me
Now you're doing fine, in fact you're doing great
I'm choking on my pride and on my hate,
Oh I can't wait for your demise 

I want you to die, because you’re alright

I want you to die, because you’re alright

Animated and personal, Storm told funny anecdotes in between songs. At one point, acknowledging that she was talking a little too much, she stopped in the middle of a story, admonished herself and leapt right into the next song.  One captivating story was about an after-show massage she received while on tour in Russia.  Let’s just say she got more than she expected, as her limited ability to speak Russian could not clarify or limit any awkwardness in the situation.

When Storm went into her vigantastic “8 Mile Wide” anthem, she brought 20+ friends up on stage to help her sing it, and then got the entire audience involved.  This song deserves to be played at the steps of Michigan’s State Capitol Building!

The Le Poisson Rouge show coincided with Storm’s birthday.  At the end of her set, a friend surprised Storm with a birthday cake and then insisted there be a spanking line.  Storm acceded and endured ten minutes of loving slaps on her buttocks, from friends, on stage.  With her cheeks reddening, I wondered if I was the only one who hasn’t yet read "Fifty Shades of Grey."  With my face lit up from the full moon, I noted that I had chosen my seat well.

Now let’s talk about the venue: Le Poisson Rouge is a multimedia arts cabaret in the Village that was founded by musicians, with a mission to “revive the symbiotic relationship between art and revelry; to establish a creative asylum for both artists and audiences.”  It succeeds by hosting artistic shows as well as popular touring acts.  For example, this past Thursday, Glen Hansard (one-half of The Swell Season, and brainchild behind the 2006 indie movie-turned-best-Broadway-musical of 2012, Once), performed following five artists--writers, comics, actors and musicians, telling stories they forever connect with songs from their past.  Le Poisson Rouge offers memberships at various levels offering free or discounted shows, VIP seating, member-only events and other perks.  It’s a good venue to support, and you’ll be exposed a wide variety of performances.  You may even find yourself invited to some chic event, like Macaulay Culkin's iPod Dinosaur Birthday Party.