Syd Straw at Mercury Lounge

Syd Straw, the daughter of actor Jack Straw (The Pajama Game), spent her youth in Los Angeles, California. Relocating after high school to New York City in 1978, she started singing in comedy clubs, and wound up singing harmonies for an up-and-coming Pat Benatar. Straw later joined the indie/alternative Golden Palominos' ever-changing lineup (1985-1987), which also included Michael Stipe, Matthew Sweet, and Anton Fier. Straw launched a solo career in 1989. Straw also has an intermittent acting career, appearing on the television shows The Adventures of Pete & Pete and Tales of the City. She now lives in a small town in Vermont. Her fourth and most recent solo album is 2008's Pink Velour.

Performing at Mercury Lounge as part of the venue’s 25^th anniversary series, Syd Straw sang and played both acoustic and electric guitar, and was accompanied by guitarist Don Piper and violinist David Mansfield. Straw's take on folk music was a bit left of center, folding in slivers of country and blues while singing songs about her dysfunctional family paralleled with an accompanying bleak worldview. The lyrics were articulate and occasionally witty, and her impromptu between-song chatter was peppered with equally clever and charming anecdotes. Her early background as the musician performing between comedy acts well served her present act. Straw proved to be a rather unique entertainer, a coffeehouse folkie with a natural penchant for musical-comedy cabaret.