Show Review: Clara Zimm @ The Hotel Cafe
RNB Nerd reviews Clara Zimm Live at The Hotel Cafe on April 28th, 2023.
Arriving promptly, I was lucky to catch the ending song from the act that went on before Clara. Witnessing this set the tone and my expectation for what was to follow; an intimate setting that I adorned with a gin & tonic, a sea of non-stop bar chatter, attentive front row die-hards, and a crowd that seemed keen on viewing through their screens. I hope this gives you a glimpse of the scenery that night at The Hotel Cafe, now let us get into reviewing the set.
"Fantasies” - I always appreciate when I can actually hear the words that are being sung in a song, be it live or the studio version (I am looking at you Mariah Carey lol). Clara starts off the record boldly declaring, "Fuck a man, I want the stage!". She certainly caught my attention and had me wondering what direction the record would go in. Clara makes it abundantly clear that there are specific things she will not tolerate and setting that to some wobbly synths really make it a bop. The pace of the record is quicker and Clara keeps up with no disruption in her delivery, which is hard to do when all eyes are on you. This was the third song of her set and I could hear her vocals improving and the audience appeared less distracted. Watching her stare into the crowd, I wondered where her mind could be as she feels the music and moves along to her adlibs.
"Hollywood Romance" - I was immediately a fan! A true dance record, Clara's voice fluttered nicely on top of the beat. Her energy was big for this one and while the crowd may have made it a little hard for her to really let herself go, it was nice to see her smile and express that energy after the more somber moments in the set. "Hollywood" has a great breakdown and with the tempo change, she uses that moment to express some of the major sentiments touched on in the song.
"Fading" - A solid R&B record IMO, this was another favorite of mine from the set. This was the first single from her upcoming EP and I am curious to know what she, if anything, was trying to convey by putting this as her first offering to us all? The music is atmospheric and I can hear Clara's confidence in this one, vocally she sounds so clear and strong.
"Venice Rooftops" - Clara described the record as her "romanticizing a love that is gone but glad that it's gone". The lyrics are slick and Clara delivers them with some swagger. I could sense she really felt the words on this one and her delivery was spot on. I loved hearing her references of Lana Del Ray and Lucky Daye in the lyrics, it's these nice touches that let you see she knows the music that inspires her.
"Temporary" - The emotional record is both selfless but knowing that she’s going to go down with the ship if she stays any longer. I connected so much with the song, Clara conveyed it both painfully and beautifully. I notice on her slower records, the real uniqueness about Clara's voice is her ability to convey almost a seriousness that is pretty and feminine. Also, I need to mention that in this performance it feels like she could take over the world with that gorgeous piano accompanying her, please send him my love and thoughts because he killed it too.
"Rendezvous" - The nerves were released during this song and it was good to hear her opening up with her voice, adding some more push. The lyrics are crazy! Energy was picking up here too, maybe due to the nature of the song. I enjoyed the vocal control she exuded here and I could tell she was getting more confident on the stage at this point.
"Novacane" - This one got some audience engagement and maybe like me, our minds went directly to a possible cover of Frank Ocean’s iconic record. I was really surprised by the many elements in this one and how they fit together nicely. Probably her most advantageous record of the set, with some nice touches of soul and unexpected instrumentation.
"The Luv Witch" - This was another standout for me. Explaining the concept of the song as inspired by the film of the same name, Clara shared that her experiences with love are a metaphor for “magical things”. Production wise, the knock and the instrumentation is present day R&B/soul fair. I would even say that hearing this from her might surprise unfamiliar/casual listeners that a jam that sounds like this is coming from our girl.
"Between The Sheets" - Her most recent release, I would bet that Clara really wanted to get this one out. I can imagine believing so much in a record and hearing it so many times in your head and in your own life, that you would want everyone else to feel and hear what you do. While there was still some audience chatter happening in the background, Clara's emotional delivery and passion was not lost on myself and many others giving her our full attention.
"Young and Beautiful" (cover) - WHOA baby, this is it! The audience was quiet, hanging onto every word and while Clara made the song her own, I could still hear her honoring Lana through this one and it made me so happy to hear that. You did it justice and then some!
"Moon River" (cover) - Clara ended her show with this record and it was a sweet, almost love letter-like nod to her Jazz roots and tastes. A great cover!
The entire vibe of the show was so relaxed and comfortable. I believe this is practice for bigger greatness that Clara will reach. Clara does a great job of moving between more modern sounds and some that are a bit more stripped down. It’s always a bit awkward for me to record footage like this, because I don't want to come off like some weirdo filming a girl singing on stage. But I hope I was able to capture a bit of the essence that I shared here in this review. Listening to all these clips (and Clara's catalogue) should give you a nice sense of the type of artist that Clara is. It is clear that she is inspired by an array of sounds and that comes through in her sonic references, both vocally and lyrically.
I hope, if anything, my support and this summary of Clara’s set helps to affirm that she is highly talented and on the right path. When I first met Clara at a songwriting workshop, she was very honest and open about her feelings living in Los Angeles. I will never forget what that made me think; that real people exist and even in today's world, are not afraid to express themselves candidly. Keep going!
