Thirty years ago, Joan Armatrading’s emotionally charged songs were a soundtrack for my life, with hits such as Love And Affection and Me, Myself, I.
So, as the singer, comfortably dressed in baggy clothes and sandals, strolled onstage to rapturous applause, the scene seemed set for an evening of cosy nostalgia and plangent acoustic-led ballads.
But Armatrading is not a nostalgia merchant and when she launched into the familiar Show Some Emotion it was reincarnated in a far jazzier, funky form. As she moved swiftly from song to song – most changes accompanied by a guitar switch – the true breadth of her talent was unfurled.
Supported by a three-man band, she breezed through a perfectly balanced mix of back catalogue and songs from her new album, referencing pop, rock, jazz, blues and folk with ease and conviction.
Armatrading was vibrant and bursting with energy throughout, playing a full two-hour set with barely a pause. Her virtuoso guitar playing was a revelation – a match for many rock lead guitarists. Sometimes, though, she simply sang, her voice as rich and strong as ever, still reaching the high notes yet able to plumb depths few female singers can pull off.
For the encore, Willow was beautifully rendered and not just by Armatrading – invited to sing, the audience responded so brilliantly the bassist clapped them. Drop The Pilot ended the show on a high, poppy note which had people dancing in the aisles.
Forget acoustic nostalgia, soon-to-be-60 Armatrading is electric and rocking.
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