Joan Baez

The final date of a UK tour, Joan Baez gave few hints of tiredness as she delivered a masterclass, despite her voice having lost its upper register over the years and much of its famous vibrato. Joined by a percussionist and multi-intrumentalist Baez graced the Brighton Dome for nigh on two hours, delivering a mixture of traditional songs, classic ‘American’ songs, a few ‘newer’ songs and a couple of numbers that the band had practiced in soundchecks, giving the performance a nuanced rawness helped along by her occasional anecdotes that didn’t seem overly rehearsed. Although mainly an interpreter of song, she performed one of her originals, ‘Diamonds and Rust’ – one of the highlights of the evening.

Tonight there were versions of Stephen Foster’s ‘Hard Times’, Richard Shindell’s ‘Mary Magdalene’, ‘House of the Rising Sun’, Leonard Cohen’s ‘Suzanne,’ and encoring with her beautiful interpretations of ‘Tonight They Drove Old Dixie Down’ (The Band), John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ and Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’. The songs’ subject matter – often positive despite the mainly political subjects she tackles – along with her clear elucidation, the band’s sparse and tasteful instrumentation,  and her relaxed and friendly stage demeanor, invariably raised the spirits and fed the souls of the Brighton Dome, who stood as one to acclaim this living legend, the likes of which we may not see again.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 26 March 2012
Rating:
Jeff Hemmings