The unstoppable Maggie Szabo reprises Hotel Café

(Hollywood, CA) When I first saw Maggie Szabo at the Hotel Café in Hollywood three years ago I knew right away that she was much more than another talented, pretty girl with a guitar. She was determined. No matter how sweetly she flashed her 1000-watt smile and how soft and emotionally she sang, always just below the surface was steel that always broke through in lyrics to songs like “Tidal Waves and Hurricanes,” “Forgive and Forget,” and “Sticks and Stones.” I thought to myself, this girl is unstoppable.
She sang a full ten-song set at the famed Hollywood venue, starting with “Gold,” released last year and then segueing into “Love is Free” and “Bieber,” new songs not yet out on Spotify or iTunes. Then she hit us with the gut-wrenching “Forgive and Forget” with its theme of betrayal and strength. Upping the ante even more she gave us an unvarnished statement of resolve in a cover of Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down” before bringing the hammer down with the addictive statement that nothing can stop her, “Tidal Waves and Hurricanes.” Everyone in the packed room knew where she stood and where she is going – fast.
But the night was not all about stubbornness and drive. Maggie wisely leavened the set with her dreamy “Smile,” using her soft throaty voice that caresses with gentleness while it twists your heart. But Maggie is not one to rest for long and she certainly didn’t let us stay in the reverie of “Smile” long before kicking into Aretha Franklin’s 1967 hit “(You Make me Feel Like ) A Natural Woman” and then picked us up and carried us on her adventure with “Learning to Fly.” She wrapped up the evening with a final statement of determination, “Don’t Give Up.”
Patrick O’Heffernan. Host, Music FridayLive!, Co-Host MúsicaFusionLA
Maggie Szabo https://www.allaboutmaggie.com
Maggie Szabo available on Spotify, iTunes and online outlets!