London – Since its 1910 opening, the London Palladium has been synonymous with variety entertainment, including the hugely popular family TV show of the mid 50s to late 60s, Sunday Night at the London Palladium. Today it hosts stage musicals and pop and rock concerts, amid Rococo style surrounds that predate it somewhat. For many years, it was also home to the annual Royal Variety Performance. The recent appearance of Liverpool’s own Queen of Soul, Rebecca Ferguson, had a suitably regal ring to it.
It had already been a long night for some, with three support acts doing a stint, and Rebecca Ferguson’s arrival on stage around 20 minutes or so past billing hour could have suggested diva tendencies. Wrong. There were no Bieber antics tonight, just pure diva in the vocal sense and an outwardly minimalist stage set with drums on a central podium, flanked by keyboards on each side, plus guitar, bass, and backing singer stations all bathed in blue light. The five-piece band played an overture piece as the headliner walked on, regally-clad in a black velvet cloak and heavily silver-sequinned black mini dress, to a warm welcome from a near-capacity crowd. As the instrumental melted into “Oceans,” from Rebecca Ferguson’s new album Superwoman, it was hard not to be struck by her vocal power and soulful quality.
Since coming runner-up on the UK’s X Factor in 2010, Rebecca Ferguson has gone on to release four albums, including her likeable 2015 take on Billie Holiday, Lady Sings the Blues. Though, cuts from her new album Superwoman and strong debut release Heaven formed the bulk of the set. Soon into it, Rebecca Ferguson’s old soul vocals showed that her delivery shares the qualities of a young Aretha Franklin or Dusty Springfield. There is a classic feel to her co-written songs that underpins such weighty comparisons. The personality of the singer also came quickly to the fore. “Typical Scouse girl. Always takes her shoes off,” she announced drolly as she kicked off her vertiginous heels. The gesture was returned with catcalls professing love and even marriage.
We learned that “Shoulder To Shoulder,” a song pitching love and animosity as inescapable bed fellows, was inspired by a dysfunctional couple who alternate between loving and argument. The song perfectly illustrated Ferguson’s vocal tone, range and control, while lyrically the sentiments about clinging to each other, shoulder to shoulder against this world, and real love being free may be simply stated but ringed with sincerity. For mood and melody, it was the evening’s highlight.
With a formidable band and two excellent backing singers alongside her, Rebecca Ferguson ruled her domain with increasing ease, introducing a young dancer for “Teach Me How to Be Loved,” who brought some impressive and equally scary ballet acrobatics to the party, which called to mind Sia’s “Chandelier” video. It was notable how the two backing singers came to the fore to cover the headliner’s de-cloaking and further costume change to a long gold and black dress. Both were seamless – the changes not the costumes – and gave the other singers a real chance to shine. They also joined Ferguson centre stage for a nicely choreographed old Soul-school routine during “Mr Bright Eyes” – a song “about a real bastard,” as she put it.
Earlier, the country ballad off the new album, “The Way You’re Looking At Her,” provided acoustic light and shade, nicely transitioning to “Nothing’s Real But Love” from her debut release. Ferguson’s homily about love being the most important thing can sound cheesy but rings with sincerity set against her life’s experiences which she wears on her sleeve and more. “Pay For It,” Rebecca Ferguson’s self-confessed favourite song on Superwoman, was set against a “nothing to be ashamed of being a single mum” sentiment. It struck home, along with the drum-kicking “Don’t Want You Back.”
After closing the set with “Stars,” along with a confession that the singer has frequent crushes that “last about two weeks,” Ferguson exited the stage somewhat unexpectedly, leaving the band for a short rock-out finish. It had been a consistently good show… but perhaps lacking that real showstopper of a song to conclude things.
There was a more mature audience than might have been anticipated, given the artiste’s X Factor heritage, which was politely receptive rather than over-enthusiastic. They did get to their feet as the first encore turned into Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” amid a glitter storm, but had to sit down for the second one, her latest single “Bones.” Accompanied by a golden firework backdrop, it was a classy slice of pop – strong enough to convince, if bringing the party mood down a notch or two. It also brought Rebecca Ferguson a standing ovation; a testament to the singer’s ability to meet vulnerability head on and come out stronger for it. And the girl equally has some pipes on her!
Rebecca Ferguson plays a series of UK and one Swedish gig up to 15th November. Superwoman is out now and available to buy on iTunes. Details are on the Rebecca Ferguson Facebook page.
Photography by Ruth Geraghty for Best New Bands.
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Tony Hardy
Tony’s great passion in life is music and nothing gives him more pleasure than unearthing good, original new music and championing independent musicians. His association with Best New Bands brings great opportunities for this. He also writes for Consequence of Sound and is a judge for Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition.
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