Visited the Westin Hotel for their Sessions after reading the write-up in the Inquirer. Erin, my roommate, and I were expecting somewhat stuffy jazz (which is nice every once and a while) and a pretty upscale environment. What we got was indie ballads and a very upscale environment. Quite a juxtaposition. I clearly did not realize what a nice hotel the Westin is because when we entered the lobby I simply gaped and then kept touching the fabulous flowers to see if they were real. The great thing about the Westin, though, is that the staff is not at all snobby. They treated Erin and me with the same attentiveness that they used with hoity toity guests and were very friendly. The organizer, Eric, even went out of his way to introduce himself to us and follow up to see how we enjoyed the music.The lounge is very cozy with plush chairs and a small bar. Erin and I both tried the bartender, Mandy's, hot apple cider with spiced rum. It hit the spot. The performer, Lance Davis, was amazing. He sat on a bar stool in the corner of the room, strummed his guitar, and sang loneliness into us. His scruffy look and wild hair did not appear very "Westin," and many of the subjects of his songs were definitively anti-Westin (a.k.a. anti-capitalist), but I sure as hell didn't have a problem with it because I could appreciate the irony. His voice was perfect and haunting. His performance made me a little sad, in a bittersweet, nostalgic way.
All around the evening was a great diversion. The drinks were pricy, but there was no pressure to buy more than one and there was no cover for the great music. To check out the upcoming performers go to http://www.curvedominant.com/. The Sessions take place every Wednesday and Friday night from 6-8 pm in the Westin Lounge. Ask for the Lanky Mandy Martini. You won't be sorry.
