15 February 2018 (gig)
15 February 2018
Carla Bruni has certainly led a charmed life, and excels at most everything she does.
Born into wealth, Bruni is the heiress to CEAT tire company fortune (a business that was founded by her grandfather, Virginio Bruni Tedeschi), She abandoned college at only 19 to pursue a modelling career and became one of the most successful in her field, working for such powerhouses as Guess? Inc., Versace, Chanel, and Christian Dior (amongst others). No stranger to attention, she further gained the interest of the tabloids when she became involved with guitar icon Eric Clapton. After 10 years in front of the camera, she quit modelling in 1997 and began her song writing career a few years later. Her debut album, "Quelqu'un m'a dit," was released in 2003, and a handful of songs from the record made their way into movies soundtracks, while the title cut was featured in such Rom-Coms as "500 Days of Summer" and "Le Divorce." Since her debut, she has release four other studio albums, most recently, "French Touch," in 2017.
Bruni and her four piece band performed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, Massachusetts on February 15, 2018. Donned all in black (including leather pants) and looking as svelte as she did during her decagon as a model, Bruni opened with a cover of "Le chemin des rivières" - and, in a move rarely seen (and reminiscent of a scene in the 1980 film, "The Idolmaker"), Bruni performed the song while starting at the back of the Performance Center, and made her way to the stage, while slowly sauntering through the isle, in between the seated audience.
After arriving at he stage, she turned out a quintet of cover songs (not surprising, as "French Touch" is a album of covers), beginning with Depeche Modes’ "Enjoy the Silence," Willie Nelson's "Crazy" (in an even more striped down version than Patsy Clines interpretation), Lou Reeds "Perfect Day" and she bravely took on a number by The Clash, "Jimmy Jazz" (while sipping on a water bottle, Bruni said she wish” had a beer," it would be more appropriate for a Clash song). After stating what an admirer of Audrey Hepburn she was, Bruni delivered a bewitching version of "Moon River" (from the iconic flick, ”Breakfast at Tiffany’s”).
Brunis voice is velvety and her presence sensual, yet, at the same time, very sweet (possessing some of the exact same qualities as her idol, Hepburn). At times, Bruni reminds one of Karen Carpenter (vocally), while recalling the steamy onstage magnetism of 1970s era Linda Ronstadt (though, Brunis presentation is much more sublime).
Venturing into her self-penned French songs, she went back to her 2013 release, “Little French Kisses,” and did remarkable versions of "J'Arrive A Toi," "Dolce Francia." She also revisited her very successful 2008 CD, "Comme si de rien n'était" ("As If Nothing Had Happened"), with a perfect post-Valentines Day rendition of "L'amoureuse (“In Love”).
Going back to her love of movies, Bruni did a touching rendition of "Please Don't Kiss Me" (which Rita Hayworth famously sang in "The Lady from Shanghai" film).
At one point, Bruni donned an acoustic guitar and reactivated the first song she ever wrote, “Quelqu'un m'a dit,” which led into the Country standard, “Stand By Your Man.” Bruni is quite proficient on the guitar (which makes one wonder if she ever got some guitar tips from Clapton, back in the day)/ She also ventured into serous Pop territory with ABBAs, "The Winner Takes It All."
After singing "the oldest song" of the night (1945s "Love Letters"), Bruni shifting gears and ended her set with an unexpected cover (though, it is on her latest CD) of AC/DC's “Highway to Hell” (she even raised the heavy metal "sign of the horns" while introducing what was most likely the steamiest version of the song ever), which then led into her interpretation of The Rolling Stones' “Miss You” (both songs proving she is a true lover of Rock).
A wondrous night from the former First Lady of France.
