Nothing But Nat

Bedingfield’s delivery, kind of like a
Brit-accented Helen Reddy, helps distance her material from the rest of
the current pack. And her concert opener, “Piece of Your Heart,” from
her current LP Pocketful of Sunshine (Epic), had the bombast of
a James Bond theme song, all neatly punched over by her six-piece band
that included two backup singers. A dozen more tracks followed, albeit
more in the pop vein adored by her youthful fan base. The tweens—who
sat at tableside clusters just like older folks would do at a Wayne
Newton Showroom engagement—sang along to “Pocketful of Sunshine,” and
they heartily cheered the opening notes of “These Words,” “Love Like
This” and the encore of “Unwritten.” 

In a flash, the show was over, just 70
minutes long, which is all that can be expected from a singer with just
two albums to her credit. But the young Bedingfield buffs went home
happy, especially the ones up front who surely appreciated the venue’s
intimacy—even though they were greeted earlier at the Showroom’s doors
by a grumpy guard who told everyone that if they had cameras, they’d
better stay inside purses or pants pockets. He was probably following
the usual promoters’ protocol, but the stern warning didn’t stop many
parents from pulling out cell phones and pocket cameras to grab quick
snapshots of Bedingfield, who smilingly obliged for each lens. The
guard wisely didn’t interfere, perhaps realizing that when it comes to
tangling with moms who shell out lots of moolah so their families can
attend a casino concert, it’s a losing bet.

—Phil D. Rapper