A 299-seat theater like the Temple is an intimate venue for a performer like Suzanne Vega, who, over her 40-year career has played venues including Madison Square Garden. Indeed, there was magic in the air for Vega’s performance, and not just because she came out wearing a magician’s top hat. Her Midwestern tour, which she dubbed “Old Songs, New Songs, and Other Songs,” had something special in it for new and seasoned fans alike.
Vega began her performance with “Marlene on the Wall,” a track she explained as being inspired by a Marlene Dietrich poster she used to have in her bedroom. She said that she once thought Dietrich may have been shocked by all the activities that took place in her bedroom, but after reading Dietrich’s biography, Vega decided otherwise.
Vega began and ended the show with her most famous songs. After “Marlene” came “99F°,” the title track to her 1992 album. Then, she played “Caramel,” another one of her top hits. “That song is not actually about dessert,” Vega joked.
Vega also told the story of a boy she met while working at a sleepaway camp when she was a teenager. Their 6-week romance inspired the track “Gypsy” from her 1987 album Solitude Standing. After she performed the track, she played the second song she'd written about him 15 years later, “In Liverpool.” Vega shared that he heard that track playing on the BBC and reached out to Vega, sending her flowers backstage with a note including his email. They are still in contact to this day.
After playing “Queen and the Soldier,” Vega changed gears to play a track that she and her guitarist, Gerry Leonard, had only added to the set list a few days prior, “Speaker’s Corner.” This was the first of a few songs she played about New York City, including a song titled “Rats.” “I envision the music video for this song being a manga, with giant cartoon rats and a tiny cartoon Suzanne Vega,” she detailed.
The next more well-known song that the duo played was “Left of Center,” a song from the Pretty In Pink soundtrack. This track rocked a little harder, with Leonard really showing off his skills. He was quite the sight — with his expert guitar-playing and bright pink and blue hair.
Appearances were at the center of their next song, “I Never Wear White,” which Vega, dressed all in black, crooned. Then came “Some Journey,” one of the multiple songs Vega played on acoustic guitar.
Vega ended her set with two of her most famous songs: “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner.” She even put her top hat back on for “Tom’s Diner” as she glided around the stage to the familiar tune.
Vega and Leonard then /came back for a three-song encore. She started the encore with her story of meeting a shy Jerry Garcia and being invited to sing with the Grateful Dead at Madison Square Garden in 1988. She then sang “China Doll,” the Dead song they'd played together.
The second encore song was “Tombstone,” which she used to only play around Halloween, but now plays year-round. She put her top hat back on for this one.
The night was officially done once Vega and Leonard played “Rosemary.” They received a second standing ovation from the crowd.
Suzanne Vega put on a beautiful show that not only captivated the Temple Theater audience but also made great radio. What a special night for the Iowa music scene!
