Friday 12/09/08 Meiko @ Canal Room, New York, NY

Entering into the darkened, cozy Canal Room on a drizzly Friday night, Gigwise was ready to catch Meiko in New York for an intimate performance.

Unannounced, a small girl with an overbearing guitar much larger than her tiny frame, fumbles with the tall microphone and stutters that she was worried there would be no one to play for in such a big room. Trying to give the girl the benefit of the doubt, unfortunately Meiko was a bit weak-o. Evoking the voice of Regina Spektor and Chan Marshall but without the deeper, darker sort of lyrics, Meiko's words may be less mature but she is frightfully honest and a sincere effort is given. Meiko is of this generation, no doubt, appealing to the "why doesn't he like me" type, mentioning Facebook and blogs, feuds with friend's girlfriends and singing solely about boys. She is like that high school self you've tried so hard to run away from - teen angst is the commonality for all the like-sounding tunes.

Where Meiko lacks in performance she makes up for in personality. The girl chats up the audience with crass jokes and monologue usually kept unsaid by a petite, innocent looking female. "Embarrassed" for wearing a scarf when it's "hot as balls" on stage (she's heard they're sweaty) and telling the audience she got "her ass kicked" by Vodka Redbulls the night before, she riles giggles from the audience when she speaks.

During her most familiar single ‘Boys With Girlfriends’ is where she shined, strumming her guitar and singing, loudly, above aggressive shushing from the audience. A cover of TLC's ‘No Scrubs’ also gained some woo-hoos and familiar sing-along accompaniment but most were listening only when backup music ceased.

Flanked by three to four talented gentlemen musicians, Meiko appears to be comfortable on the otherwise barren, brightly lit stage, as if playing with father-like figures. Drinking a beer and tapping along to her music in winter boots, hair a bit messy, one wonders if the girl is even old enough to drink. Originally from Georgia, Meiko mentions something funny about living in LA and draws a pronounced “Y'all” in the same sentence, making it obvious she is the living embodiment of a Southern girl's dream come true. A brokenhearted teenager writing poems and song lyrics in her bedroom is apparent in ‘Hiding’, beautifully accompanied by a cello and large bass. Growing into a young lady within seconds it seems, Meiko soulfully sings about living with her first boyfriend in ‘How Lucky We Are (Shitty Apartment)’. Like a female Jack Johnson, singing about making coffee instead of banana pancakes, we can picture her barefoot in the kitchen as she progresses from child to woman on stage.

Meiko is undoubtedly cute, but her songs in a concert setting create a much slower pace than desired.  The good news is if music ever doesn’t work out she’s got a career in stand-up comedy.