Sporting just her guitar, legendary singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading introduces us to the entirety of her new album, with an intimate performance at the Brighton Dome.
“IT’S the silence that hurts most, more than the shouting,” Joan cries to us, through her stripped back rendition of track Still waters, from latest album Not too far away. It’s just her up there, bearing her vulnerable soul with pedal board at her feet, grand piano waiting in the wings, trusty Ovation guitars (her favourite brand), and a bright red Nord keyboard to keep her company. And the words could not be more true, as with her latest tour, Joan proves that you don’t necessarily need a full loud thrashing band behind you to create something beautiful to behold live.
Through gorgeously jumpy tracks This is not that – a favourite of everyone in the seats of Brighton Dome that night, and Still Waters, the iconic deep contralto hum of the Brummie whips up the audience into a frenzy of sorts. They even erupt into a fit of stomping at one point during the night, clapping gleefully like exuberant kids, causing a commotion. And the three-time Grammy nominee doesn’t leave much room for us to recover either, as she dives head first into each new track; if we’re lucky, she lets slip the title of each golden song every now and then, or perhaps a quip of playful sarcasm. “Now, the next song I’m going to play because, when I played it before, I asked the audience ‘when was the last time you heard me play this’, and a chap said ‘about 1986’,” the award-winning guitarist chuckles before heading into Kind words and a real good heart. But tonight is not all about the singer’s persona – throughout Joan’s career it never has been. It’s all in service of the rustic and raw songs that flood the room. And the occasional joke is enough sustenance for our appetite.
Joan lends the stage to her impeccable songwriting, and the authentic home-grown melodies of sadness, love, and hardship are pretty enough to resonate with us. With just her and her trusty guitar walking us through the MBE’s first album with renowned label BMG, songs sparkle. And her penchant for blue and purple lighting, emblazoned upon the stage behind her, just enhances the sadder, calmer more reflective sonnets from her past work too. Yet, as with everything, the wonderful live rendition of Joan’s songs, both new and old favourites, isn’t without fault.
The Novello Award Winner occasionally takes a helping hand from a thin, and quite shrill, set of synthesised strings, woven into a backing track that cheapens the gravitas of sorrowful Empty highway, and Drop the pilot. A horrid cheesy tin-like synth sound clouds the wonderfully captivating Rosie, at times reminding us why that timbre was rightfully abandoned soon after its heyday in the 70s. In between her iconic hard strums of passion in new track Invisible, Joan’s guitar dons a quirky wha-wha effect that, just like in her album, doesn’t fit all too well with the otherwise acoustic sounds. But, through these minor blunders, we just grin and bear it, because we know the rest of her performance is perfect.
Throughout the night, Joan’s eminent command over her newborn repertoire fills the room with smiles; each melody beautifully strung from her hand kneels to her poignant words.
For Joan, even the suggestion of a supporting act to accompany her on her tour is unneeded; her huge catalogue of gems is enough to fill us all. And, with renditions of old favourites like Travel so far – a song she admits she hasn’t played since 1975, the songstress proves the magic that made her such a wonderful performer for more than 40 years is still just as powerful now.
Review by Ray A-J
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