Would the third time be the charm was definitely on my mind as Doctor Ray and myself settled into the pro-woman crowded, but not sardinish environment on the floor. We were surprised that there was a full band this night with 5 players. Surfing the YouTube videos in advance I found they only had clips featuring Sudol solo with her piano.

What is going on with her career right now is pretty obvious. She’s been told to get up and be a leader of a band and capitalize on the Taylor Swift wave of girlie shlock goin’ around, I’d guess. To that end, she did okay, but is clearly learning the art of being a performing pop princess, if you will.

She was featuring her latest effort, ‘Pines’, and described her career as a ‘Journey for joy’ right now and the girl was obviously having fun on stage. She gets a tad too giddy and rambles on aimlessly at times. She was trying hard, but had a clumsey moment when she bopped herself in the mouth with the mike. Poor thang needed a towel and poked fun that “I have bigger lips now for sure”. Nice way to handle it and she had more good moments than not.

Her hit ‘Almost Lover’ plays well and her smokiest moments still burn sexy when she hits the keys. Good career move having this lovely pop tart face the audience. Alison was at ease, playful and down right cute which I think registered big time with the loyal attendees.

A Fine Frenzy and Joshua Radin co-headlined this gig and put some fannies in the house on a brisk Monday evening in Texas. Evidence that she was the winner was how the crowd thinned big time after her energy drenched set.

As I close, I’ll quote myself from 2007 for ya: “For an artist that is just starting out she has a cool deameanor.  Let’s hope she continues to grow her band and roots to the point that she can command an even larger sector of the music world.”  So there and good luck lady…Good night and see ya at the next one.