Yula and The eXtended Family

"It was my dream, since I was quite small,
to sit in front of a piano and sing songs,"
read the email Ms. Yula Beeri sent out.

This, is just what she got to do last
Thursday at Le Poisson Rouge (LPR), a
spacious cabaret style space on the lower
east side. Preceding Yula's set was a series
of short, whimsical and trippy animated
films. The films presented an interesting
contrast with Yula's set.

She was elegant, with a distinctly theatrical flair. On stage at any given time one would see drums, horns, a cello, guitar and keyboard. Yula herself played at various points, a piano, bass and mandolin.

Beeri played just over half an hour. Quite a bit brand new solo stuff, some of the lighter material of her band (Nanuchka), as well as a new reworking of classic World Inferno (of which she was formerly a member), Thumb Cinema were all played. Pretty much every time I've seen her perform, with the exception of Electric Morocco gigs, she has performed some working of Cinema. Hearing her perform this track really brought home the excellence of her solo work. The arrangement for this rivaled if not surpassed the version found on Inferno's most recent album, "Addicted to Bad Ideas".

Having the stage to herself seems to allow Beeri to show off a theatrical flair which has always marked her work. There are hundreds-perhaps thousands-of singer song writers through out the city, but Beeri's live set proves she's a unique breed, worthy of the ranks of performers like Amanda Palmer, Albert Hamond Jr, and even former x-inferno member Franz Nicolay, who have taken their experience as parts of great bands, and used it to really do somethinag unique with a solo identity.

- Beyond Race Magazine

Israeli musician, Yula Be’eri’s new solo project, is a diverse piano-fueled blend of alternative rock, cabaret, experimental-electronic and punk music. Be’eri, known for her involvement in World Inferno Friendship Society, Star Fucking Hipsters, NaNunchka, and Yula and the eXtended Family, is showcasing her new solo endeavor every Wednesday night in January at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn.

Yula manages to pack a lot into her hour-long set. From the moment she steps onto the stage, oozing intensity and barefooted, it becomes clear, that at the very least, she won't be boring. Yula opened with a few soulful, melodic songs that proved her extraordinary vocal talent and song-writing craftsmanship. The intertwining of a bass, played by Yula, and an accompanying trombonist, produced rich, layered sounds. As the set progressed, she switched to the keyboard, and at various points, was joined by musicians on the drums and synthesizer.

Yula’s theatrical flair brings her more cabaret-infused songs to life. Her grandiose gestures and eccentric, self-assured, movements exude a charismatic, edgy aura. Towards the end of her set, after on turning a black light and smearing glowing body paint on her face, Yula transitioned into an experimental-electronic, “mini-soundtrack.”YULE-W7

As a whole, the set is captivating. Yula’s charm, and theatrical ability, fuse with her, bone-chilling vocals, instrumental aptitude, and compositional skill, to spawn a memorable experience.

Yula will rap up her January residency at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, on January 27th. The show starts at 7:30 and it’s free.

For more info check out Yula’s myspace page.

www.myspace.com/yulabeeri

-Lauren Casselberry
- Beyond Race Magazine

Yula Beeri is one of those performers who simply delight and get better
every time you see her. Beeri played her last show as part of her January
residency at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Agent Jay of
The Slackers deejayed before the show. During Yula's set she played
piano, upright bass, and guitar. There were sing-a-longs, stories, and
good times. She opened with a sweet cover of "Feeling Good." Her voice
brought a warm feel to the uplifting song. I couldn't help but smile. After
setting the mood nicely she played some songs, then let Paul Wallfisch
play. Yula came back and there was some backing vocals by Alex and
poetry read. She also told a story about a guy and girl, a devil in
Barcelona, and how she's happy to be alive. The crowd seemed
responsive and singing along. Of course she also played her MySpace
and SpacePage and Facebook song. It was a nice evening. - Star Beat Music

Yula Beeri played her second residency show at the Knitting Factory in
Brooklyn on Wednesday, bringing together friends and fans for an
evening of piano-laden songs. Ms. Beeri appeared at her most vulnerable, occasionally stopping midway through her songs to talk directly to the
roughly 50 people in the room. The spacious "control bar" was dimly lit
and had a nice vibe. Right behind the back bar was a window where you
could see the bands performing in the club's main stage.
She was accompanied by her drummer Issac who's in the extended
Family band with her. In addition, Paul Wallfisch who runs and plays at
the Small Beast shows every Monday at the Delancey played a few
songs, to. I enjoyed how Yula started, then let Paul play, then finished her
set.
Before going into one of her songs, she said that people who are
depressed shouldn't be and when she was depressed, she'd write songs
and from that came the song that followed. In the set included her version
of World/Inferno Friendship Society's "Thumb Cinema." The set seemed
very impromptu and the stories were heartfelt.
Despite what Yula might think, it was a touching, fun, and inspiring show.
After, I said bye to her and she seemed happy that I came and said,
"Thanks for writing, don't stop" and then gave me the warmest hug I've
had all year.
Tonight, Yula's at Rockwood Music Hall with her Extended Family and
Gato Loco. Next Wednesday, 1/20 she plays again at Knitting Factory
with Alyson Greenfield. - Star Beat Music