Saw the This Is Soul tour last nigh and generally pretty good fun I have to say. It was my first time in the new Theatre Royal - very nice but really conducive to low down nastiness and soul fun or with room to dance. Certainly not "back in 68 in a sweaty club", if you get my drift?
Anyhow, I was surprised to see, after an intro from Pauline Black, that Eddie Floyd opened. I'd say he was a bigger soul influence than Geno globally, but maybe in East Anglia thelatter still has a following from his touring in the 60s? Anyhow, Eddie kicked off with Soul man and then into a Wilson Pickett track I've not heard for ages (should play it more) 634-5789. Sounds great and his voice is still powerful. A moody "Ain' No Man" got me right in the soul areas and makes you realise the diffeence between the recent hyped singers and those with genuine talent and longevity. Very pleased to hear him do Big Bird, although not sure quite how well known this was amongst the general audience. He said he wrote it after hearing the news of Otis Redding's plane going down. Finished, of course, with Knock On Wood and eventually we were on our feet in the plush new seats. Just about five numbers but for a man of his age and career he still holds a tune, looked great and enertained. Nice one
Next up was Pauline Black, kicking off with a number of reggae covers with a soulful tinge (Let Your Yeah Be Yeah, Prisoner Of Love amongst others. I thought she'd mellowed since the early 80s, but haven't we all? She sounded more soulful and I wasn't 100% convinced with her on the reggae tunes. A Nina rather than Bob & Marcia feeling Young Gifted & Black was great though. Then a cover of Alcohol from Special AKA In The Studio and the mood was swingy, almost Billie Holiday-esque and this suited her vocal a lot better I thought - really ryhtmic and across a spectrum of vocal ranges. Finished off with On My Radio - had to really I guess?
Quick 15 minute break and into part two. The Ram Jam Band had been on stage with both acts and came back on with Night Train before Mr Washington arrived to a frenetic I Can't Turn You Loose. From there on in it was entertainment, crowd pleasing and cheesy grins and asides to the audience. Can he work a crowd or what? Tracks morphed into one another with at one stage the vocals to Shotgun over the soundtrack to Shaft. Some James Brown Covers (Brand New Back and I Got You) were thrown in and f course he had to do Michael and (another track I've not played for years) Que Sera Sera. Showmanship, a tight band and quite frankly shameless good fun.
The encore featured all three harmonising for This Little Light Of Mine
Like I say, transposed to a less formal setting with a proper dancefloor would have improved the event, but these artists didn't disappoint across their genres. Well worth a night out I'd say.
Geno online
Pauline Black online
Eddie Floyd online - more about his early group The falcons here
Norwich's Modernist Night Out
Some general ramblings and musings when the fancy takes - well, it's easier than writing new web pages everytime! Plus it's a quicker way to add updates
1 comment:
Sounds like fun Phil! Sending a couple of Daptone releases your way this week. Try to catch Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings when they're in the UK in April. You'll love it. I promise.
Post a Comment