Photo: Simon Green
Gig Review: Beth Hart, Brighton Dome, Saturday, November 30, 2024
By Simon Green
While sitting sedately at her piano, Beth Hart mentioned her enjoyment of fighting (in one of several interludes when she spoke in confessional tones to the audience) and how she would like to have the strength of a big musclebound man to enjoy the powerful feeling that gave. She added later, while introducing the piano-led ‘Picture In A Frame’, that she would have liked to have been a cage fighter.
The image Beth Hart projects on stage is a strong one; she commands the space like a prize fighter looking for an opening, yet at the same time, she displays a raw emotional vulnerability in her performance that totally contradicts her physical demeanour. The singer/songwriter lays her feeling out for all to see and frequently refers to her own physical and mental struggles as a prelude to a heartfelt number. It’s Beth Hart’s honesty in how she expresses herself through her songs that connects her directly to her audience. That connection started from the first song of the evening as the singer, in a trademark move, walked from the back of the elegant Brighton Dome (not such a big deal in the US maybe, but the venue was used for the 1974 Eurovision contest that introduced Abba to the world), down the aisles of the stalls, singing to individual members of the audience, while chaperoned by her husband Scott. It was only looking back through photos later that it was possible to really see how engaged and adoring audience members were, as she progressed slowly towards the stage. It could seem a corny move from a lesser artist, but Beth Hart created a moment of real connection and set the scene for the typically memorable show to follow.
Photo: Simon Green
The content of Beth Hart’s music carries the same contradiction as her stage persona. She writes classic singer-songwriter material, exposing bare emotions, and uses her own life experiences, as well as imagined lives, as inspiration for her songs. Many of them have lovely, sensitive, haunting piano motifs, yet Beth has the raw energy of a blues singer. Her singing voice has real force but doesn’t descend into wailing. It has a sweetness and an engaging tremor, that belies the often-dramatic way she delivers a number.
The Californian is a unique performer, which is what makes her shows so enjoyable. This evening’s show on the UK south coast was no exception. Touring on the back of her latest album, You Still Got Me, the singer and her long-time backing band delivered a set that included selections from the new album, many of which feel like they will be live favourites for some time, as well as familiar numbers from her strong catalogue of best-selling albums.
The new number which had the most impact for me was the fun rockabilly of ‘Wanna Be Big Bad Johnny Cash’, a tribute to the great man, delivered by the singer as she again descended into the audience. Her band is sufficiently experienced to sit back in a low-key supporting role, enabling the star of the show to shine; however, Jon Nichols on guitar excelled when required, playing the variety of licks required for contrasting songs like the Cash tribute and the two fabulous encore numbers, Led Zep’s ‘No Quarter’ and ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’.
Hart performed songs from different positions, whether seated stage right behind her piano, kneeling at the feet of avuncular bassist Tom Lilly, sitting, dangling her feet over the front of the stage, prowling centre stage or sitting with the band for some acoustic numbers. The acoustic selection included an extended ‘Sugar Shack’, which featured a splendid percussive display from drummer Bill Ransom. It was hugely enjoyable mixture of the old and the new; the open wound of slower songs like ‘War In My Mind’ and the title track from the new album (inspired by her husband, who came out on stage for an embrace at the song’s conclusion) and the more up tempo numbers like ‘Bad Woman Blues’ and ‘Savior With A Razor’ (no surprise appearance from Slash for this one). She has some fabulous songs, which combine emotional depth with strong melodies and hooks. It was a real treat to sit back and appreciate both the consistently high quality of the material as well as the charismatic quality of the performance. An unbeatable combination.
Watch “You Still Got Me” Here
Beth Hart Tour Dates
Photo: Simon Green
All true
a fantastic lady wish I had been there.