Spektor plays coy and confident on stage

    "Lovely people, lovely places/ I can't remember names and I can't remember faces/ Someone next door's f—king to one of my songs." Regina Spektor's lyrics, like these from "Bobbing for Apples," are a little eccentric, but her originality and unique, rich voice brought devoted fans flocking to the House of Blues in Boston on Monday night.
    Regina is on tour promoting her newest album, "Far," which was released in late June. The concert opened with Little Joy, a mellow group from Los Angeles, made up of five guys and one girl. Wearing a sundress and exuding a low-key vibe, the female lead singer unleashed her golden, un-brushed locks and drank white wine in between songs.
    Another band member, decked out in his skinny denim jeans and T-shirt, slightly resembled Napoleon Dynamite (although his huge mustache might make him more of a mix between Napoleon and Pedro). Little Joy performed songs off of their self-titled album, and they were an excellent — no, a perfect — complement to Regina's concert.
    After a lengthy transition from Little Joy to the main act, Regina finally appeared on stage clad in a black burlap sack cinched at the waist with a belt. Most would resemble a monk with this ensemble, but Regina was absolutely chic. Consistent with the natural, no-frills ambience of the concert, Regina wore no make-up (besides her signature red lipstick) and let her unruly mane loose. She looked like she had just frolicked through a meadow before appearing on stage.
    Not one to aggressively promote her music, Regina focused on her new album "Far" but gave fair attention to older songs like "Ode to Divorce," "Hotel Song," "That Time" and her famous, semi-pop number "Fidelity." Regina was accompanied by a cellist, violinist and drummer for the first half of her concert. Unlike some ruder artists recently mentioned in the press (Kanye West), Regina introduced, thanked and interacted with her band members throughout the night.
    Regina played the piano during most of her sets, but also dabbled with the keyboard, a robin-egg blue electric guitar and her infamous wooden chair. To clarify, for the song "Poor Little Rich Boy," Regina simultaneously played the piano with one hand and drummed away at a wooden chair with the other. She passionately referred to her chair as "he" and revealed that "he" has always traveled with her.
    When Regina sang, she was an elegant, confident artist commanding each and every note. But when talking to the crowd, she transformed into a shy and humble girl, sweetly giggling "thank you" between songs.
    In addition to the long wait between performances, there was a technological malfunction that interrupted the concert when the speakers stopped picking up the piano. Regina felt so bad that she couldn't help but apologize to the audience at every opportunity.
    During the technical malfunction, someone called out for Regina to tell a story. Regina smiled, and instead chose to perform an a capella song about eye color. She effectively turned the malfunction into a welcome interruption.
    As the night continued, Regina became more confident and interactive with the crowd. By the end of the concert, she had completely unleashed her quirky side as she played a horn that her brother had just been given for Rosh Hashanah.
    After her courageous performance with the horn, she said, "And what do you do after that? Play a country song."
    And that she did.
    Ultimately, Regina's concert at the House of Blues was a refreshing, genuine performance. In a time when Britney Spears is considered an artist, Regina's wholesome voice is a gentle reminder of what music really is.