Review: Cornelia Murr @ Red Room at Cafe 393 6/5

Photo Credit: Rett Rogers

Review by James Klein

Last week, British-American singer-songwriter Cornelia Murr kicked off the solo leg of her spring tour at Berklee’s Cafe 939 in Boston. After opening for Papooz throughout May, she returned to Massachusetts, where she spent much of her life, for an intimate show with friends, fans, and family.

Cafe 939’s Red Room is a student-run venue with a cozy cafe leading into a small standing-room-only concert space. Before the show, Murr chatted with audience members near the merch table, including her opener, Nate Livingston.

Livingston jumped on stage with his band, likely fellow Berklee students or recent alums. He started with two unreleased originals, featuring dreamy reverbed vocals and solid performances from his band, including a crisp guitar solo. Livingston then went into some covers, starting with “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff Buckley. Livingston delivered his best Buckley impression, living up to the original with heart-wrenching vocals. He closed with a heartfelt “Rest in peace, love you, Jeff,” then transitioned into Mk.gee’s “Candy,” using pedal effects for a modern, groovy sound. Next, they played “Some” by Steve Lacy, including a solo section for the whole band. The band flawlessly transitioned from Lacy to Livingston’s debut single, “Nobody Like You.” This indie rock jam showed Livingston’s original writing style, delivered with charisma and somewhat raspy singing. The set confirmed Livingston’s strong potential as both a singer and songwriter.

Murr was joined by a bassist, drummer, and wind instrumentalist, Henry. She greeted the audience with a bright smile, warmly saying, “Hi, how are you?” and adding, “I feel like I’m in college again!” She started with “Skylight” off her February album “Run to the Center.” Her performance was filled with high, ethereal vocals contrasted with deep oohs. This live version included a sultry saxophone solo from Henry. 

She described the set as a “listening party,” playing “Run to the Center” in order. The next track was “Pushing East,” featuring folksy vocals, tambourine, and flute. After a powerful performance from Murr and her band, they moved into “How Do You Get By.” As she repeated the question, “How do you get by?” the instrumentation swelled, driven by the steady pulse of the drums. Henry added smooth saxophone runs in the background before the song transitioned into a synth break, a signature element of Murr’s sound. Her high vocals contrasted with her bassist James’s low recitations of the title phrase. This performance showed that the band had impressive chemistry for the first date of their headlining performance. 

After these impressive performances, Murr paused to reflect on the night’s meaning. She announced that not only was it the first show of the run, but she had a lot of family in the room. She also revealed that Livingston is her distant cousin, and she met him for the first time tonight. The moment brought warmth and intimacy to the evening.

During “Meantime,” Murr and Henry showed off their pipes with endearing whistle duets, before departing into a “sound bath moment” with “Run to the Center.” Murr had the lights brought down as ambient nature sounds started playing. Light rolling drum brushes and rolls backed her as she played the keyboard and sang with wispy vocals, each word carefully escaping her mouth. 

She invited the crowd to imagine driving in the ’80s before launching into the poppy “In the Wings,” which got the audience dancing. “Spiral of Beauty” showcased the full band, with bass and drum holding down an instrumental section, Henry on flute and midi keyboard, and Murr shaking an apple-shaped shaker. Murr finished playing the record with “Bless Yr Lil Heart,” featuring only her and her acoustic guitar. The guitar made echoey snaps with each movement, adding to the ambiance. She whistled and sang this short but sweet tune to finish the album on a high note.

She admitted that we were deep into the show without playing any oldies, but appreciated the crowd’s enjoyment. Murr started her popular cover of Dion’s “Only You Know,” playing an easygoing rendition featuring more acoustic guitar, flute, and whistles. She led into another crowd-pleaser with “Different This Time” off her 2018 album. Murr warmly serenaded the audience and stepped off the stage to whistle among the crowd. She entered her “Bruce era” with a cover of Springsteen’s “Tougher Than The Rest.” She revealed that the band had never done the cover, despite their flawless adaptation of Springsteen’s song to Murr’s style. After playing more of her older songs, she ended it early so everyone could “get a good night’s sleep,” closing with a group photo and heartfelt farewell. 

Murr delivered a profoundly personal show, evident in her distinctive writing and heartfelt delivery to the small, intimate crowd. Her warm voice soothed the audience, holding their attention when paired with her band’s thoughtful arrangements. If this first stop is any indication, the rest of her tour promises to be just as heartfelt and transcendent.