Brandi Carlile takes her story to Santa Cruz

Brandi Carlile takes her story to Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ -- When it comes to touring, Brandi Carlile "loves waking up in different places."

She must have thought she woke up in heaven when she heard the producers from "Grey's Anatomy" were going to use her tune, "What Could I Say?"

Why, it's not just a favorite TV show for the upstart singer with the smooth southern pipes. It's the TV show.

"I'm personally addicted to it," Carlile said. "Don't tell me what happens in the last episode. I don't even want to get on Yahoo. I'm afraid I'll find out if Izzy died."

Beyond her entertainment staple, "Grey's" did help expose the 28-year-old to the world.

"It's had a huge effect," she said. "All these people liked it."

That undoubtedly includes her fan base in Santa Cruz, where Carlile performs Saturday at 10 p.m. following a 7:30 p.m. show by Iris Dement.

After a tour as opening act, Carlile's star has risen to headliner status.

"Being the headliner changes a lot of things. It changes the challenges," Carlile said. "It is a fun challenge opening for someone else. You're trying to win over an audience not there to see you, so you dip into your bag of tricks. It's Look at me,' and you put on your dog and pony show. It ends up being fun."

Then again, said Carlile, "at the end of the day, you're just playing music."

When she headlines, "it's a welcomed pressure," Carlile said. "It ends up being an hour and half exchange of energy. It's not just what you're doing on stage. It's what you're taking from the audience."

Simply stepping on stage is serenity for Carlile, who celebrated her 28th birthday this week.

"Music has been my life," said. "It will always be my life. It's what I do. If I were a street musician, I'd be just as appreciative. It's just a great way to walk through water, playing music. I've done it since I was so little."

The 2009 schedule that takes her to the Rio, a sold out show at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, and a concert in Yountville. After Carlile's U.S. tour ends July 18, it's off to Portugal, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

"I love it," Carlile said. "Playing music in one place wears itself out."

The magic, she said, "is taking the word on the road."

"I just want the audience to feel and have the freedom and space to do that," Carlile said. "I want them to participate rather than be observers."

Carlile can prepare a set list for a concert, but until she's up there feeling the crowd, the show's up in the air, she said.

"I can watch the opening act and hang out backstage and watch through a curtain," she said. "But until you're on stage feeling it, feeling the collective energy that a group of people have that takes on a life of its own."

Carlile said that "regardless of what I'm feeling, the minute I'm on stage, I feel grateful I'm there. It changes the mood I'm in. Even if I'm physically sick before, I don't feel it on stage."

If there's a downside to touring, it's the time limiting song writing, Carlile said.

"I haven't written a note in months and months," she said. "Not since we finished this record."

Creating "The Story" became "all encompassing," the artist said. "It was an all-consuming project."

One, however, that's worth it. The album hit the Billboard Top 10 and title tune had more than 3.7 million views on YouTube.

Nothing compares to people singing along with the performer, said Carlile.

"That's my favorite thing," she said. "It's crazy. It's like Wow, we wrote those lyrics and people are singing them.' It's like there are 500 people singing about my brother."


http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_12499515