In a marked contrast to Duritz's engaging stage persona was opening act Sam Phillips, whose rich vocals are often undercut by her stoicism. Backed by producer-husband extraordinaire T-Bone Burnett on acoustic guitar, Phillips hovered between shyness and downright stage fright, clutching her arms at her waist except to occasionally realign her microphone.
Never mind. She ripped through a tight, but too-thin six-song set, a showcase for material from her lastest release, Martinis and Bikinis. Purring through Circle of Fire, the former Christian singer even lobbed an insult at conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, dedicating Baby I Can't Please You to the new Florida Citrus spokesman and adding, "and I don't want to."