Tour Review From The Times

Beverley Knight

Lisa Verrico at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool - 3/5

The band were already on, flexing their funk muscles, when a Las Vegas-style introduction brought “Wolverhampton’s unquestionable Queen of Soul” to the stage. With a jerky strut bearing Tina Turner’s trademark and in a thigh-skimming satin kimono that resembled cheap nightwear, Beverley Knight launched her tour to the sort of frantic crowd reaction encouraged on Saturday teatime TV.

Indeed, Knight’s whole show had the feel of a slick TV spectacular. The seated theatre venue was partly to blame, as was the singer’s insistence on acting out lyrics to her songs. Knight never stopped moving, nor did she tire of encouraging an audience that ranged in age from 6 to 60 to wave their arms or clap their hands.

Since a career-reviving Best Of compilation, followed by last year’s support stint on Take That’s comeback tour, Knight feels less like a soul survivor than a national treasure – in February she was appointed MBE. Still only 34 and looking sexier than ever – her high heels had a hint of bondage to them – her principal selling point remains her powerhouse vocals. For close to two hours they were never short of astounding. But, as has often been the case, her material struggled to do her justice.

Her new album, Music City Soul, provided half of the set, including a tame cover of Taj Mahal’s Sixties soul classic Ain’t That a Lot of Love, for which the crucial horns came from a keyboard, and Every Time You See Me Smile, a midtempo track through which Knight swooped and soared.

The problem was perhaps too much polish – when her four-piece band went acoustic, Knight finally got gritty. The new song Saviour was superb – not even Knight pitting men against women on backing vocals could spoil it. Another captivating newie, Black Butta, was glorious gospel and, of her old hits, Made it Back, Shoulda Woulda Coulda and the encore closer Greatest Day proved Knight can sometimes match her American peers. Knight’s cabaret act may cost her credibility, but the smile on her face all night suggested that she couldn’t care less.

Do you reckon it would have been better than just 3/5 :o