By OLIVIA OLSON 

Contributing Reporter 

In anticipation of singer/songwriter Nina Nastasia’s performance, the Pike Room in Pontiac’s Crofoot was set for tranquil ambiance. 

Multicolored streamers hung from the ceiling and cool white lights illuminated a single microphone on the venue’s modest stage. 

New York acoustic folk singer Nastasia took the stage, dressed simply in black and equipped with only her acoustic guitar, to the relief of those in attendance who sat through two weak opening acts. 

With such limited accoutrements, Nastasia proved how little a musician truly needs to perform well-crafted songs in a dynamic and entertaining way. 

At times she barely whispered the lyrics into the microphone, and at others  she leaned back, eyes closed and belted out with unchecked enthusiasm.

Nastasia’s guitar playing was undeniably limited — she seldom strayed from basic finger picking patterns and simplistic strumming. But her unique vocals recalled Neko Case in their consistent clarity and strength.

 Highlights “Stormy Weather” and “Our Day Trip” were examples of songs adeptly written as narratives, which paid a respectable tribute to the folk tradition of telling stories through song. 

Before the audience was granted Nastasia’s performance, they were charged with the unfortunate task of sitting through opener Spanish Castles. 

The band revolved wholly around the fact that their lead singer and guitarist was able to play in the Spanish style, and in taking themselves altogether too seriously, they became a veritable parody of themselves, creating music that seemed best fit for a children’s pirate movie. 

Next to perform was Zoos of Berlin, which combined the folk rock aesthetic of the Byrds with the psychedelia of Jim Morrison. Whether or not they had the lyrical prowess of Morrison, however, was not apparent as the instrumentation overpowered the vocals almost entirely. 

While the group performed well together and were unique in their particular niche of moody and experimental rock, they often erred on the side of soullessness. The occasional addition of the trumpet warmed up the sound and giving it the heart it was otherwise regrettably lacking.

Nastasia’s uninhibited performance saved the show from its less than satisfactory beginning by revisiting lyrics with literary merit and music rich in complexity, regardless of its simplistic presentation.