Taylor gets '08 off to a tuneful start

Maria Taylor needed a bigger room Wednesday night. Patrons were shoulder-to-shoulder in the cozy back room at Tangier to catch a set from the 32-year-old songstress, one-half of Azure Ray. [Our favorite fan was Lucinda Williams, who at the offer of special consideration from the promoter, declared: "I don't want to be on the guest list -- I want to support the artists."]

Williams and everybody else who ponied up the $10 cover were rewarded with a warm-and-fuzzy set that included material off Taylor's second solo album, "Lynn Teeter Flower," released last March. Taylor's willowy vocals and smart lyrics obviously have their fans; this show was booked less than two weeks in advance, and the room was nigh full when up-and-coming L.A. singer-songwriter Robert Francis played his 9 p.m. set. Performing with five backing musicians he called the Small Town Talk, Francis (newly managed by heavy hitter Bill Silva) wrestled with a difficult mix, but his material, especially the title track from his debut, "One by One," still shined.

A nice start to 2008.

||| Download Taylor's "A Good Start" from her MySpace page.

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A heads-up, in case you haven't seen the notices: Indie rock is coming to the Orange County Performing Artscenter. (Pardon the link, OCPAC has a MySpace page.) Nice lineup too -- Peter Bjorn and John and Sea Wolf on Jan. 24; the Walkmen and the Delta Spirit on Feb. 28; and local heroes the cold War Kids on March 27. The shows will be in the 500-seat Samueli Theater as part of OCPAC's Off Center series. They aren't cheap tickets (for instance, it's $30 to $60 for PBJ/Sea Wolf and $20 to $40 for the Walkmen/Delta Spirit), but then again, these are quality bands playing nice digs. Should be interesting to see how the monthly series (which continues through June) flies.

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Highlights for Thursday, Jan. 3

This just in -- the show at Pershing Square tonight has been canceled due to threatening weather.

You can warm up (or cool down) for a night of club-going by hitting downtown's Pershing Square at 8 -- the Mezzanine Owls will perform at the temporary ice skating rink there. ... Their debut album almost finished, local quintet the Airborne Toxic Event kicks off a Thursday night residency at Spaceland with support from, among others, up-and-coming quartet the Henry Clay People. ... Over at the Echo, there's a big, free (if you're over 21) show with Light FM, among others. ... The Bowmans start a Thursday night residency at the Hotel Cafe -- the always-great Patrick Park is playing tonight. ... The Mae Shi play tonight in the series of shows celebrating the Smell's 10-year anniversary. ... And young Orange Countians the Jakes play early at the Roxy.

Photo: Saddle Creek Records