You can Google up photos of Sarah Todora with her band, back when she lived in Louisiana: a young girl with a messy ponytail and a baggy T-shirt. But when she took the stage at the Sahara's Casbah Lounge last week, there was nothing girlish about her long, wispy blond hair and slinky dress—or her big voice. At 18, she may not be old enough to drink or gamble, but she sings the blues like she means it.
The Casbah is a perfect lounge for a blues singer: small, dark and smoky, with thick drapes that block out the casino's relentless bells and whistles. Onstage, Todora has a way of sinking into each song, closing her eyes, throwing her head back and letting the notes come pouring out. She worked in a few subtle dance moves and got down and dirty with the air guitar when her bandmates played their solos. She was confident and comfortable—remarkable, given that she'd only had time to rehearse with her new band twice before embarking on this five-day stand—and at times sentimental, telling stories about her past and showing her vulnerable side. Too bad the audience was small, mostly aging gamblers who looked as if they had ended up there by accident. Then again, it was only 4 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon. She would go on to play each hour from 8 until 10 that evening.
The gig at the Sahara is Sarah's biggest since she arrived in Las Vegas last August, in a move that has a tinge of the blues about it. She and her father/manager, Philip, were living in Lafayette, Louisiana, working regularly in New Orleans, when they decided to pack up and try their luck in Vegas. They left two days before Katrina hit. While the Todoras did not lose a house or their belongings, as some recent reports mistakenly asserted, Philip, who runs a music-management company, lost many of his clients, as most of them lived in New Orleans and were scattered around the country after the storm. This left them stranded in a new city without a reliable income, and day-to-day life became a struggle. Luckily, with help from FEMA and the Red Cross, they were able to find a place to live.
While Sarah sang with local musician Jerry Tiffe, her father sought out a band and venue for her solo set. But the Todoras were still finding it difficult to make ends meet, and then their car was stolen from the parking lot of their apartment building ....
But theirs is a press-friendly story, and due to the coverage, a few anonymous benefactors lent some help: Sarah got a makeover, a photo shoot, some clothing fit for the stage and, even, a better place to stay: They've been living at Turnberry Suites for the past few weeks.
Finally, last Wednesday, Philip's work paid off as Sarah launched a five-day stint at the Casbah; she sang six 45-minute sets on Saturday alone, accompanied by her new backing unit, members of the local Gary Peterson band.
It only took half of Sarah's life for this break to arrive. She decided she wanted to sing at the age of 9 and was performing onstage by 11. At first she sang only country songs, but after seeing her first live blues band, that was it. And question if you will what a skinny white teenage girl knows about the blues—Sarah will tell you herself that she has lived through some trying times. So when she belts out throaty renditions of "Stormy Monday," "Don't Want No Man" and "Chain of Fools," you believe she knows what she's singing about.
Her first run at the Sahara is over, but she'll be back February 15-20. Don't miss her.