Live Review - Barbara Dickson

Artists: Barbara Dickson


Venue: The Sage

Town: Gateshead

Date: 9th March

Website: http://www.barbaradickson.net



This was actually the third time I had seen Barbara Dickson; the first over a decade ago at The Tyne Theatre and the second a year or so ago, in fact, sat in the same seat, for a show which was equally as sold out tonight.



‘An Evening with Barbara Dickson’ involved no support act, so Barbara and band took to the stage straight away, launching into a great version of Pete Seeger’s Turn, Turn, Turn, one of my favourite songs, made famous, of course, by The Byrds.



This was followed by an obviously heartfelt greeting; ‘Good evening, good people of the North East; it is so good to be back in what is probably my favourite place to play.” In fact, she had given a quote to the same effect for The Sage’s fifth birthday slideshow, and it is lovely to see such respected artists love The Sage as much as we all do! She went on to talk about how her relationship with the people of this area goes back a long way to the Guildhall and local folk clubs before that.



Telling us that the Nothing’s Gonna Change My World CD has now, sadly, been deleted – I wonder why? – she played a song from it, during which it was never more obvious that when she sings, a smile spreads across her face, leaving no doubt as to how much she loves what she does.



Putting down her guitar and exchanging it for the corded mic, so she could move across the stage, she eased into Bob Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice, it’s alright. It is interesting to note that when she has the guitar, her folk roots come through and when she doesn’t, her theatre experience comes through in her facial expressions and hand gestures (I suspect she came from the same school as Eve Selis and Joan Baez, in this department!)



Picking up her guitar again, Barbara told us she was recently sent a recording of her at a folk club in 1973. She admitted to pressing play then hiding behind the sofa, so convinced was she that it would be awful. In fact, she was inspired to start singing one of the songs she heard and has rediscovered how much she loves playing it live. Jamie Raeburn was that song and it was beautiful, especially with the addition of Troy Donockley’s Ilean pipes. Hearing her sing songs from her native Scotland actually brings to mind her fellow Scot, Eddi Reader, at times. Another traditional Scottish tune, The Corpus Christi Carol, reminded me of being at a ceilidh, as they all traded lead parts, laughing and smiling all the while.



Barbara told us that the James Taylor song, Millworker, was written for a musical, Working, before joking, ‘Clearly it didn’t work as nobody has heard of it.’ She told us she loves this song as it is one of few James Taylor songs written from a woman’s perspective. It is a gorgeous song and she clearly lives it as she sings, almost becoming the millworker, for the duration of the song.



I hadn’t realised that the late Sandy Denny penned Who Knows Where The Time Goes, or indeed, that the two had worked together twice in Newcastle (funnily enough, one location was the City Hall, which was the hall, where, aged ten, I fell in love with live music, thanks to the late, great, John Denver.) Sandy Denny’s premature death, Barbara told us, makes this song all the more poignant when she sings it, and I suspect all present felt that poignancy as she delivered a truly haunting rendition. Beautiful.



Promising us a ‘blast from the past,’ and switching to keyboard, Barbara and band treated us to a very enjoyable version of Answer Me, leading me to wonder, if although the high notes are more of a challenge, Barbara’s voice has actually gotten richer over the years. The first half of the set was then brought to a close with the most beautiful version of Paul Simon’s Bridge Over Troubled Water I have ever, and probably will ever, have the pleasure to hear.



After a brief vnterval and a change of outfit, Barbara led the way on Witch of the Westmerlands, written by Archie Fisher, whose girlfriend, we were assured, lives in the village rather than the lake as implied by the song, which is ‘all very symbolic.’



Huge applause followed her rendition of Another Suitcase in Another Hall, from Evita, followed by one of my personal highlights of the show; Easy Terms from Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, which left me wishing I’d seen it when Barbara was Mrs. Johnstone, despite having seen it almost twenty times with others! Intriguingly, as she sang, she slipped back into Mrs. J’s Liverpudlian accent.



Emmylou Harris’ Boulder to Birmingham (written as a tribute to her late friend Gram Parsons) was apparently Barbara’s late mum’s favourite of everything Barbara sang; I can see why – it was beautiful – every inch as good as Emmylou’s version. Coincidentally, a couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of watching Emmylou sing the song at that same stage...funny how things come around like that.



McRibbin's lament allowed those Ilean pipes to demonstrate their beauty, moving into a tradition Scottish tune, Friar’s Britches (or Vicar’s Knickers as the band like to call it!) which at times reminded me of being at a Celiedh, such was the fun being had on stage.



One of only a few songs written by Barbara, followed’ Palm Sunday, written with Troy for the Time and Tide CD. It is my favourite song on that CD and live it is even better. Asking us to allow her to thank the band, by introducing us to them, demonstrated the high esteem in which she holds these musicians; Nick Holland, Russell Field, Brad Lang and of course, Troy Donochley.



The lights dimmed, allowing the star effect lights to light up the stage, and Troy, on acoustic guitar, led off a very simple, but stunning version of I Know Him So Well, which worked well even with male harmonies. Following this, the final song of the evening was beautifully delivered version of Caravans, which ended the set on a high.



Touchingly, Barbara walked right across the stage, to bow at various intervals, amidst massive appluse; she is clearly loved here in Gateshead. As she returned for an encore, she said, ‘Really, I love this place. I’d like to see it again next year, if they ask me.’ Judging from the applause which followed I think the audience concurred and suspect The Sage will do just that! With that, they rocked the night out with Del Amitri’s Always The last to Know and a wonderful version of the gorgeous Across the Universe, which is so much better live I wish it had been on the live CD/DVD.



Blowing us a kiss, Barbara departed the stage to rapturous applause, leaving us all to ponder the question ‘Who knows where the time goes?’ so fast had our time together come to an end. However, I suspect the ripples were felt ‘across the universe,’ which will keep us going until this amazing performer returns to her, and our, favourite venue.



Helen Mitchell