The Penfold Theatre of Round Rock started a new cabaret series of live music events, and boy was it a blast. The show With Love, featuring Yesenia McNett, a New Braunfels resident and Texas-born singer and performer, belted out the numbers that had the audience snapping their fingers and tapping their feet. Her range is exhaustive, from operatic to jazz, pop to blues and rock.
But the performance would be empty without the acclaimed backup band, including Lannie Hilboldt on bass/vocals and music direction. He’s played with the Drifters, Jay Siegle, and the Tokens. Monte Mann on guitar/vocals has also played with the Drifters and Terry Sylvester of The Hollies (remember them?). Jamie Hilbodt, brother of Lannie on keyboards/vocals, played with Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and still tours with them.(Who knew they still toured?). Barry McCreary on drums has played with Sam Moore of Sam and Dave and Mary Wells.
We have a trove of excellent musicians in the Austin area just waiting to perform, and this venue and concept allowed the audience to relish the numbers. Yesenia started off lightly, or was it shyly? By the fourth number she seemed to have found her sea legs and vocal range, belting out numbers and showing off her magnificent operatic vocal range.
From the tune Fever to many Carole King numbers, “You can see I love Carole King,” she admitted, although there was no need as the audience enjoyed each and every King song, including Far Away. Then on to Aretha’s slow, guttural I Love You was done with aplomb and sent chills up my spine. She did a Dolly number and My Funny Valentine, a classic jazz tune from the 1930s, Stevie Wonder’s Superstition, B-52’s Love Shack, the Patsy Cline number At Last among others.
The evening’s hit was her amazing rendition of Wild Horses, the Rolling Stones song which she sang in an operatic slow version. The way she evoked the longing, the death, and losing the person Mick Jagger originally wrote the song for made many an audience goer cry, including my friend.
Even if you attended the Valentine’s-themed show alone or as a single person, you left with love in your heart and a kick in your step, and not without a partner.
The Penfold Theatre is at 2120 N. Mays Street, Suite 290, Round Rock, TX 78664. Purchase tickets at boxoffice@penfoldtheatre.org