Beth Rowley
A rare, and very special, chance to hear Beth Rowley perform live in Norwich.
Back in 2008, a young Brisol-based singer songwriter released 'Little Dreamer', an album of original songs, and traditional R&B and soul covers. 'Little Dreamer' went to No 6 in the album charts. More recent releases have seen her songs taking inspiration from both gospel and jazz, and her current 11-date UK tour is to promote her second 'Pale Jewel' collection. After a long absence from performing in our city, Beth Rowley returned to Norwich on Friday night to perform at the Adrian Flux Waterfront Studio.
Opening support was from London-based songwriter Ed Blunt (no relation to James 'You're Beautiful' Blunt, we are reassured) who, from behind his Nord 3 keyboard, and wearing a jacket reputed to have originally been owned by Scary Spice, knocks out a collection of self-written songs that, at times, sounded rather Billy Joel-like (which is good, right?), and even knocked out a cheeky version of his potential cash-cow 'The Dome of St Pauls', a slice of Yuletide cheese, reminiscent of 'Fairytale of New York', that Blunt dreams of being used on John Lewis' next Christmas television campaign. His closing cover is a moving version of the Glen Campbell classic 'Witchita Lineman'.
Beth Rowley takes to the stage, joined by Norwich guitarist Paul Wassif, and performs a twelve-song set that features five of the seven tracks from her 'Pale Jewel Vol 2' collection, including 'This Train' on which she also plays harmonica. Earlier songs include Bronze (arguably the standout track from her 2018 sophomore collection 'Gota Fría'), and ending with a moving version of the bluesy folk song 'Only One Cloud', the only song tonight that featured on the 'Little Dreamer' album.
Ed Blunt returns to the stage whilst guitarist Wassif takes a short break, and he accompanies on keyboard as Rowley performs 'Blessed Quietness' (also from the second EP collection) and 'We All Need Someone', a new song co-written by Blunt together with Scottish folk musician Daisy Chute, about the importance of friendship.
The final two numbers (for there is no ‘walk off/walk on’ encore) provided the brilliant and stirring 'Only One Cloud', the only song on tonight’s set to be taken from 'Little Dreamer', and 'I Walk Beside You', a song written by Rowley that became the theme for the 2017 television series 'Strike'.
This was a rare, and very special, chance to hear Beth Rowley performing live in Norwich, and huge thanks to everyone at The Waterfront for making it happen. And I look for ward to hearing ‘The Dome of St Pauls’ on the television. later in the year.
