BARBARA DICKSON - WATERFRONT HALL, BELFAST
Belfast Telegraph - 25th February 2004
Anyone who went along to this concert expecting lots of show songs must have felt short-changed last night. For this was more of an intimate evening of laid back music and song for lounge lizards than a celebration of the West End.
First and foremost, Dickson is a singer of good songs - from every genre - rather than someone who is easily categorised into one musical box or another.
Such diversity was reflected in the wide choice of material on offer in a set dominated by a jazz/blues approach, but also providing touches of folk, pop and a few samples from the musical theatre stage.
From her dramatic opening number to her surprisingly anti-climatic encore selection, Dickson was never predictable, with popular songs such as "Answer Me", "January February" and "I Know Him So Well", all notable by their absence.
Dressed in pink and black, the Scottish songstress gave a nod to both Cole Porter and The Beatles and paid homage to Bob Dylan with a new arrangement of his classic "Blowin' in the Wind".
Although she only took up her guitar for one song - J D Souther's "Faithless Love" - the biggest applause of the night was reserved for a stirring version of "Tell Me It's Not True" from Blood Brothers.
After the interval, a change of clothes also brought a change of mood with a new song from her forthcoming album.
Highlights of the latter part of the evening included: two Peggy Lee songs, "Fever" and "I'm A Woman"; Carol King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"; and "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" - Dickson's cross-over chart hit from Evita.
Thanks to the superb musicianship of her male backing trio this was a good concert but, in a more intimate setting, it would have been a better one.
(Damien Murray)
