ByRoss von MetzkeOpinion Editor
“We all know who’s the queen of the ball tonight,” JocelynEnriquez yelled to a packed crowd at Rich’s nightclub in HillcrestSaturday night.
Under typical circumstances, the answer would have obviously beenher. But in celebrating the ninth anniversary of what is arguably SanDiego’s most prominent gay club, deciding who took home “queen of thenight” honors was a little more difficult.
Enriquez gave it her all, though. But try as she did, her battleagainst less than desirable accompaniment — in Rich’s there is noroom for a band, so Enriquez sang to her CD with the lead vocalsdubbed out — came in unbalanced, and the dance hall diva fans havecome to know and love fought to be heard over a club-goers dream cometrue: the dance track.
The singer kicked things off with her breakthrough hit “A LittleBit Of (Ecstasy),” inviting the slew of fans stampeding the stage tosing along with her.
Bad idea No.1: don’t ask drunk men to sing into a microphone. Theend result just isn’t pretty. Enriquez caught on to her faux pasquickly and kept the mic to herself on “When I Get Close to You,” hercurrent smash. It was here that Enriquez’s talent shined brightest.Remixes are notorious for burying a gifted voice amid the programmeddrum beats and synthesized tracks, alluding to the fact that theartist may have talent but is begging audiences to seek it out andfind it.
On CD, “When I Get Close to You” wins the battle. Live, Enriquezseemed up to the challenge, easily popping off notes and riffsWhitney Houston was known for in her hey-day.
Enriquez introduced her next single — a remake of “Freak Out”with Thunderpuss 2000 for the “102 Dalmations” soundtrack — and paidhomage to Studio 54 (the theme of Rich’s anniversary) with her discoversion of Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind.”
There is no question Enriquez has a voice and a following. Herstatus in the club community as a dance track master is secure. Butone can’t help but wonder if the music Enriquez has chosen to performis keeping her talent from reaching its highest potential. In clubslike Rich’s (places Enriquez performs most), the sound systems andperformance set-ups — in this case a makeshift stage in the middleof the dance floor — are not conducive to putting on a kick-assshow. The background music was constantly vying foraudience attentionagainst Enriquez’s vocals.
Who won is anyone’s guess. It’s obvious Enriquez has the chops tosell a show. It’s just a pity she can’t perform in venues that willallow her to prove what she’s made of.
