November 20, 2007
The Oxford New Theatre has been pulling an impressive array of top-class shows and artists over the past year and tonight is a perfect example. Currently touring for her new album ‘Music City Soul’, Beverley Knight, winner of three Mobo awards and with various chart-busting hits to her name, is regarded by many as the British Queen of Soul and her performance tonight was enough to indicate why. With a smile as big as the sound she can produce, and an impressively talented band to boot, Beverly Knight brought out some sunshine on a dreary, rainy night in Oxford and had the audience listening with delight and fervent admiration.
Fresh from a highly successful gig at the Royal Albert Hall, it’s no wonder to see the huge smile that beams across the singer’s face for pretty much the entirety of the evening. Knight is a constant bundle of energy, dancing and jumping around in her thin high heels as though she’s wearing no shoes at all. Every song goes down a treat, especially her chart hits: ‘Shoulda Woulda Coulda’, ‘Come As You Are', ‘Greatest Day of My Life’ and her latest single, ‘After You’ - they all had every single member of the audience up in their seats dancing and singing along.
What is perhaps the most astounding thing about Beverley Knight is not the spine-tingling power of her voice, but her vocal range. It is simply unbelievable - demonstrated by the ease with which she flows from her cover of Joplin’s ‘Take Another Piece of My Heart’ to ballad numbers like ‘Back to You’ and ‘Sista Sista’. Her impressive rhythmic qualities meanwhile, along with those of her backing band, come across particularly in their samba-esque version of the famous ‘Time is on My Side’ and fun medley ‘Flavour of the Old Skool’.
It is particularly refreshing to see an artist as successful as Beverley Knight still so down to earth and full of genuine gratitude for the passionate applause she receives. She finishes her set to a standing ovation and as the band take their bows and leave the stage, you can’t help but think that you’ve just witnessed something truly special.
Fresh from a highly successful gig at the Royal Albert Hall, it’s no wonder to see the huge smile that beams across the singer’s face for pretty much the entirety of the evening. Knight is a constant bundle of energy, dancing and jumping around in her thin high heels as though she’s wearing no shoes at all. Every song goes down a treat, especially her chart hits: ‘Shoulda Woulda Coulda’, ‘Come As You Are', ‘Greatest Day of My Life’ and her latest single, ‘After You’ - they all had every single member of the audience up in their seats dancing and singing along.
What is perhaps the most astounding thing about Beverley Knight is not the spine-tingling power of her voice, but her vocal range. It is simply unbelievable - demonstrated by the ease with which she flows from her cover of Joplin’s ‘Take Another Piece of My Heart’ to ballad numbers like ‘Back to You’ and ‘Sista Sista’. Her impressive rhythmic qualities meanwhile, along with those of her backing band, come across particularly in their samba-esque version of the famous ‘Time is on My Side’ and fun medley ‘Flavour of the Old Skool’.
It is particularly refreshing to see an artist as successful as Beverley Knight still so down to earth and full of genuine gratitude for the passionate applause she receives. She finishes her set to a standing ovation and as the band take their bows and leave the stage, you can’t help but think that you’ve just witnessed something truly special.