Sweet Soubrette, a.k.a  Ellia Bisker and crew gave a packed performance at The Bowery Poetry Club this Saturday. The high ceilinged back room of this former skid row venue was filled to capacity during Sweet Soubrette’s set.  Fans and friends came out in droves to support the fishnet clad starlet’s group. Sweet Soubrette, who is not only Ellia Bisker, consisted of drums, bass, piano, violin, back up vocals,and at times included trumpet, trombone, and flute. The blend is a mixture of local musicians who joined forces to support the burgeoning dreams of Bisker.  It now has become the up to date version of Sweet Soubrette.  At first one isn’t sure whether to call Ellia by the name Sweet Soubrette, but after seeing this collective perform you can be sure that the Sweet Soubrette is a fully evolved unit.  It is no longer exclusively Bisker, but additionally Heather Cole (violin), Mike Dobson (drums), Bob Smith (bass), and Stacy Rock (back up vocals).

Although Sweet Soubrette originally began as a solo project, front woman Ellia Bisker has gradually added more performers to her roster at the behest of producer Tim Cohan. Perhaps it is Cohan’s insight into Bisker’s sound that has helped Sweet Soubrette become fully evolved. Not only  has it been a journey of sound for Bisker, but a personal flight that has changed forms until finally becoming the outfit we hear on Days and Nights.

What makes a Sweet Soubrette? Speculatively, one part circus performer, one part poet, and third part rockstar. After talking with Ellia post-set, she revealed, nay I say, poked some holes into the mysterious tapestry that makes up the elusive and enigmatic project Sweet Soubrette.  After a trip to her Vassar College campus back in 2002, student Ellia became enamored with  New York City based Bindelstiff Family Cirkus. Not your typical circus, the Bindelstiff troupe is a unique hybrid of vaudeville, circus, wild west shows, burlesque, and sideshow.  As a budding young artist, Ellia joined the troupe by volunteering once a week and participating in passing out fliers.  After she was gifted a ukulele by a possible paramour, Bisker then decided she would take a shot at performing ukulele for the Cirkus. The Bindelstiff family quickly became mentors for Ellia, and taught her all she ever needed to know about live performance. This experience catapulted Bisker into engaging inother challenges such as participating in a Parisian ukulele festival which consequently became fodder for the content on Days and Nights.

Bisker’s inspiration for Days and Nights, largely came from her experience in Paris and is evident on the track  “Petite Souris” where most of the lyrics are in French.  Her experience living with a French family by day, and performing in the ukulele festival by night, was originallytheinspiration for Days and Nights.  Here in New York, Bisker holds a 9-5 administrative position and by night becomes a glitter laden songstress. This blending of experiences via foreign travel in combination with her daily grind are what ultimately became the basis for the tracks on the new album. The contrast between girl next door and night time goddess is not only the central theme of the album, but is physically represented on the over of her LP. The cover’s front features Ellia in a sultry 1940’s style evening gown with red lips, and tousled curls. Contrastingly, the back shows her in casual jeans, and tank sitting in a laundry mat looking like she is ready for her whites to finish cycling. Although the Bowery performance made every song feel like a night track, under headphone isolation you can clearly make the distinction between “Laws of Conservation” being a day track, and “City People” being a night track. The contrasts throughout the album are clearly there.

Sweet Soubrette’s performance at The Bowery Poetry Club was without a doubt fun. After years of playing with the Cirkus, and reciting poetry on stage, Bisker has mastered the art of stage presence. Even if her ukulele went out of tune, Ellia knew how to keep the energy of the show going with little stories between breaks. Bisker and her band were equally professional.  It was apparent that every member on stage was seasoned, talented, and having an absolutely terrific time.  While Bisker and company do give off the impression that they are seriously committed to their instruments, they are also able to balance the art of performing a tight set, while putting a fun spin on things. As a product of this songs of tragic romance, or unrequited love became a light hearted affair with audience participation.  Song, “Isabella Rossellini” (not featured on the new album), was written by Bisker after she read an Isabella Rossellini book for a songwriter’s book club. The song was a product of an assignment review. Although Bisker herself does not have a serious crush on the actress/model/director, there is clear admiration for this contemporary idol. When I pressed the subject and asked if she drew from personal feelings as creative fuel for her songs I was told that information was “classified.”  Even if the lyrical content remains shrouded in mystery, the relatable material of Days and Nights pulls you in and somehow makes you feel as though Ellia is singing directly to you.

After listening to Sweet Soubrette one might have pictures of gypsies in cabooses performing tarot readings at a carnival, or vaudevillian sweethearts tattooing their hearts in hopes that their sailor amour will return for another shot at love gone wrong. While there are comparisons to the quirkiness of Regina Spektor, optimism of Ingrid Michealson, and romantically tragic lyrical content of Nicole Atkins, there is also the mood and tone of Rasputina, and other steam punk femme fatales.  Sweet Soubrette is a talented outfit whose lyrical stylings will make your imagination run wild. Each song is a story in a box, and once opened will take you an inventive journey through your mind.  Bisker’s vocals are sung and spoken (think Liz Phair), so you are sure to feel that a Sweet Soubrette show is much like badass adult story time. Next time, don’t bring the kiddies. This circus of the mind if for adults only, and it’s totally worth the price of admission.