Karen Elson @ Third Man Records, Nashville, TN 5/24/10

When you walked into the small show space at Third Man Records this past Monday, something was different. Replacing the usual cobalt blue and grey color scheme were soft peach spotlights. The space seemed dainty, instead of the hard edgy vibe that usually accompanies most Third Man shows.

As model turned mom turned musician Karen Elson walked onstage, the small but eager crowd applauded with anticipation. Launching straight into “Pretty Babies” off her debut album The Ghost Who Walks, Elson swayed in a Loretta Lynn/Gillian Welch-esque floor length peach gown. Her soft voice contained a calm reserve that helped lead the way through the set list with only a handful of small glitches, easily masked by her banter with bandmates. Stopping to preface the song “100 Years From Now,” Elson told the crowd it was written for the political cabaret troupe The Citizens Band of which she is a member.

Elson’s attachment to all things peach was apparent throughout the night as she proudly boasted how she named her guitar “The Peach Thief, because I stole it”. Taking the stage for her encore, Elson played the album’s title track, “The Ghost Who Walks,” and a seductive cover of Donovan’s “Season Of The Witch,” leaving the crowd more than satisfied.

One could say the night was sweet, like a peach.

Watch the show below!

Karen Elson live at Third Man Records from Karen Elson on Vimeo.