LONDON PALLADIUM - 02.04.78
(Melody Maker - April, 1978)
Barbara Dickson is turning into a songwriter of the very first quality. Ever since she broke out of the folk circuit and had a hit single with 'Answer Me', it's seemed as if she's been searching for more material strong enough for that superb voice, and judging by her show at the London Palladium on Sunday, she need look no further than the scribbled notes on her home piano for exactly the right stuff.
It helps, of course, if you are backed by a tight little band as good as the one she had on Sunday, who made even her lesser songs sound like the raw material for future hits.
But when she did some of her new songs, like the apocalyptic 'Saint Joan', a qualitative change occurred and entertainment values were transcended, approaching the realms of fine art.
She looked a little nervous, possibly daunted by her august surroundings, but she needn't have been, because she has as much talent in her little finger as many Palladium bill-toppers have in their entire bodies. One thing, though: if she's going to play guitar on stage, she must beware of looking down to check her fingering as she sings, taking her voice off-mike.
Supporting her was Rab Noakes, a fellow Scotsperson whose career has gone up and down and, hopefully, is about to take an upward curve with a new record company and, once again, some fairly strong original material behind him.
This was a rare and entertaining evening of music and song.
(Karl Dallas)
