ORTEN HEARS A HANSEN

Orton Hears a Hansen

Edited by Kateri Butler

Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 12:00 am

"Do you ever warm up before a show?" wondered BECK, as he started a duet with BETH ORTON at KCRW's second annual A SOUNDS ECLECTIC EVENING fund-raiser at the UNIVERSAL AMPHITHEATER. Orton responded, "Well, no. Not really," to which Beck agreed, "Good. Me neither. I just show up and fuck up." Fast-forward to take four: Orton started singing at the wrong time. After a few more attempts, Orton and surprise guest Beck finally nailed the tune "No Expectations." Earlier, Beck cracked up the Average White Kids who packed the house after admitting that he didn't know the words to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe," which he belted out with Flaming Lips front man WAYNE COYNE. The four-hour-plus show managed to feel fast-paced, with PETE YORN, AIMEE MANN, BLACKALICIOUS, ZERO 7, NORAH JONES and KINKY delivering excellent sets. Backstage, while Yorn fended off industry groupies, actor DJIMON HOUNSOU was in danger of getting the stuffing knocked out of him by two irate women who'd sat in front of him and his chatty entourage. "There's other places where you can go and just talk," noted one of the women, especially considering the Amphitheater's deafening sound system, which caused quite a few folks, including CAMERON DIAZ, to head backstage for a reprieve. Perhaps Hounsou was just trying to sound eclectic.

--DERRICK MATHIS

http://www.laweekly.com/music/slush/orton-hears-a-hansen/10181/