Live reviews

Bettye Lavette - May 7th, Amager Bio

Can't say I'm a long time fan of Bettye, I discovered her last year thanks to Kim from Rockuglen and some excellent records called "Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart" and "Souvernirs" from the 60s. Detroit born Lavette won some awards last year from her excellent cover album "I Got My Own Hell To Raise", and finally got some respect after a +40 year old career. Respect was a thing she talked a lotta about from the stage, and she sure earned it the hard way. Her voice simply blew me away, she's got the rawness of Etta James and the smoothness of Candi Staton, and as a soul singer she's in a league above Aretha Franklin, I kid you not! Too bad Amager Bio only was half filled, apparently she's yet not that known here in Denmark, outside the circle of Northern Soul freaks. And it looked like a lowbudget tour since there was no horn section, a keyboard/synth player, who did a decent job, had to fill in for the organic horns, which sadly gave the sound a bit of an unfortunate 80s vibe. Still songs like "My Man", "Souvenirs", "Serves Him Right", "Let Me Down Easy" and scorching versions of Dolly Parton's "Little Sparrow" and Lucinda Williams' "Joy" brought the house down with Bettye's attitude and impressive range of vocal magic. At one point she sat down and did some acappella singing without a microphone, and we all looked completely amazed at this skinny lady and her outerwordly voice. "The rumors of my decline are exaggerated" she noted at one point from the stage, well, they sure are, soul sister!

Jens