Los Angeles based Maia Sharp backed with vocals and guitar by sidekick Linda Thompson put on an inspired and compelling performance at Bel Rio Thursday, Oct. 15. Playing songs from her 2005 album “Fine Upstanding Citizen” and recently released disc “Echo,” and ending the first set with “Red Dress” from the earlier album. At the break I introduced myself as a fan since coming across her album in a bookshop where I worked several years ago. I asked about the guitars: a Taylor 514 which she described as durable and stable, and Linda’s 1965 Gibson as temperamental but a very sweet one that complements her Fender Stratocaster. Maia also played a soprano saxophone which was her first instrument, as well as an electric piano.

She asked about other venues here and I mentioned the recently reopened Southern, which I described as strictly a listening room where the performance hall could be closed off from the bar portion with two sets of double doors. I recalled the old Starr Hill venue where certain acoustic shows were designated as “Listening Room" shows with no smoking and where talking was asked to be kept to a minimum. I asked her if they were used to playing where there was a lot of talking such as there was that evening and she replied that they were not; that this was the exception. I thanked her, returned to our table thinking about it and presently walked over to my laptop bag to get a small notebook. On each of five pages I wrote:
“If you would not talk then the musicians wouldn’t have to compensate by playing louder.
They said they are not used to having to do so.”

A few minutes into the second set I tore the notes out, walked over and handed one to someone at each of five tables. Returning to my table the hubbub in the room was noticeably absent. In a few minutes one of the bartenders brought me a few of the notes and told me I couldn’t hand out notes like that; that it was “rude.” I could only agree that such a request did not have to be written. It was just more efficient than pausing at each table tactfully to ask that they be considerate and not talk during the show. Though how very ironic to refer to as rude a note written to address behavior incomparably more rude. A few minutes later one of the co-owners came over and said something to the same effect. I could do little except say that I understood.

However the management had not perceived or managed what was for those at my table who had come for the show more or less intolerable. Clearly I had the choice of either taking charge or enduring the distraction, knowing full well that those in charge would do no such thing. My simple act if not ideal was 80% effective and we were able to hear the rest of the show without the commotion. Whatever slight loss of face was felt by the staff was however accompanied by a noticeably quieter room.
The food, service, and ambience of the place are excellent. But at these rare acoustic shows of first rate talent held there just a couple of times a year — some of the patrons have no inkling of how thoughtless or crass it is to converse and guffaw as if there were no one else, and at some places simply would be urged to pay their tabs and be shown the door if they were not there for the show. After the last song I walked up and got her new album “Echo” and asked her and Linda simply to sign it on the back.
There’s a very good music player on her website where one can listen to both whole albums:

-- By Robert Power