Most fans would agree that Tina Dico (Dickow) is a very dark poet. Her lyrics are personal, almost a diary of sorts. She herself said during her show this night something to the effect of "I am always writing about longing and I in fact want to be longing so I put myself in situations to long if I am not".
Partial lyrics from the first song of the night, Count to Ten -
Count to Ten:
I have met so many people, we've exchanged so many words
We've said it all and we've said nothing but it's changed us
I have know a lot of men, some were lovers, some were friends
But all together were they merely passing strangers?
They'll control you with their silence, they'll control you with their words
And you'll control them with your body's coded signals
In the wild, entangled gardens of our insecurities
We lose our heads into eachother's hidden pitfalls
Sometimes the fastest way to get there is to go slow
And sometimes if you wanna hold on you got to let go
I'm gonna close my eyes
And count to ten
I'm gonna close my eyes
And when I open them again
Everything will make sense to me then
Tina, now age 34, began music lessons at age 12 in Aarhus, Denmark where she was born and raised. She studied religion in college but found her heart to be with her music. She entered a talent contest which resulted in her winning the chance to record her first single Your Waste of Time. Building on her momentum, she produced her first album, Notes, which won the Grammy for Best Songwriter and the Danish Music Award for Best Composer. Tina also performed with the band (duo) Zero 7 (see earlier posting on Sia) and sang on two tracks from the album When It Falls. In 2005, Tina's 3rd album, In The Red, was released in Denmark, rising above U2 and Coldplay on the record charts (in Denmark anyway). Her most recent release is Welcome Back Colour. This is a 27 song compilation of both old radio hits and new songs. A good purchase for someone lacking Tina's music in their library or for her current adoring fans. Tina mentioned, during her performance at Schubas, that this was to be her "greatest hits" CD. In fact, it is accomplishing this at least in Denmark where here largest fan base exists.
This was my second time seeing Tina at Schubas. The first time was with my friend Wendy and the two of us were mesmerized and caught up in Tina's trancelike dramatic darkness. For me, she was still captivating. She has a way with her expressions, almost feeling the part (her lyrics or script) as an actress would. Most often melancholy and deep. If you want to go in a hole and not feel alone in the dark depressive depths, bring Tina's music with you. Don't get me wrong, her music is not for the upbeat crowd but her writing is poetry, eloquently played, and her voice is flawless with it's soul and perfect pitch striking just the right nerve. This time I brought my husband Jeff with me. He, less likely to be caught up in darkness and trances, liked Tina but did not appreciate her to the level that I or others do. This is why I like to go to shows with my girlfriends who like to go to the dark side and appreciate despair such as hers. Bottom line, not everyone can be a fan.
I was surrounded by many fans however taking videos with higher clarity than mine. They need to make a better flip camera that adds white light to get rid of the redness... or whatever it would take. There was some ridiculously rude chatterbox behind us that yapped throughout the show. She was standing behind Jeff so I could not hear her (lucky for her) or I would have clocked her with my Flip cam. At one point, before Tina began one of her songs, Tina remarked, "Should we all talk about it?" directed at the Chatty Cathy. Of course, it was not direct enough and the woman kept on yapping. Tina, being a sport, went on with her song without further reprimand. So nice of her. Clearly she is from Denmark and not from New York. It amazes me how many disrespectful classless people are out there (why should I be surprised? I know, I keep hoping for a better world or maybe just occasional silence?).
Another beautiful song, In The Red:
Schubas, my all time favorite venue, get's its usual fabulous sound rating and you cannot beat the intimacy of this venue. The show gets a 5 out of 5 guitar rating for another great and flawless show, sound, and unbeatable standing views. Tina deserves to have a larger following in the U.S. but for now, we can just keep her as our little secret so that we can see her at Schubas again next year.
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