This was the second gig that was planned at The London Palladium, the 17th was to see Beth perform a solo show, but unfortunately, that had to be canceled due to illness.
IMAGES: Les Linyard
WORDS: Stephen Harrison
The full-band show more than made up for the night before, with Beth coming onto the stage to a tumultuous welcome, sitting at the piano, and straight into Baddest Blues, this was just a moment in time the likes I’ve not seen before. To see Beth deliver this song on stage alone is something that I shall treasure for many years. The band joined Beth after the opening song – the Palladium was firmly rooted in the palm of her hand and stayed there for the whole night. For those of you that have never had the pleasure of seeing Beth perform live, you need to do so soon, her energy and emotion pour over you. This is what sets her apart from other musicians and singers, it’s almost indescribable.
Tune after tune, Beth Hart poured out her soul, she described how she was mesmerized the first time she went to a Baptist Revival Church, how everyone was up and dancing, feeling the spirit of God, which led very nicely into her song, Spirit Of God. The thing about Beth is this, she wears her heart on her sleeve, leaves everything on the stage, she connects with an audience better than anyone I’ve ever seen. Tell Her You Belong To Me, about her sadness at her dad leaving her mum for another woman, I swear the majority of the audience had tears rolling down their faces, I was one of those people.
I last interviewed her just after she had released her album, A Tribute To Led Zeppelin, so it was a given that she would treat us to a few tunes, When The Levee Breaks was stunningly good, it takes some balls to attempt a song like this, nobody has done an album of Led Zeppelin songs before, but she took it on, and boy did she deliver. Chocolate Jesus, Ugliest House On The Block, and a very tearful tribute to the recently departed, Jeff Beck, which once again had the audience in tears. To prove that she is not a one-trick pony, she performs Shot Me Down on acoustic bass. Is there no limit to this woman’s talents?
Sadly at around 10.30 pm, the show came to an end, but not before Beth treated us to two more gems from her Zeppelin tribute album. No Quarter, and then an amazing rendition of Babe I’m Gonna Leave You. It was a fitting end to what was one of the greatest gigs that I’ve had the pleasure of attending. I must mention the support act, Connor Selby, this young guy is going to have such a wonderful career in blues music. Opening up for Beth at every gig on the tour, he’s a very talented guy, this will only help him further. I will leave you with this – Beth Hart is the greatest female blues artist of all time.
