Beth Orton - Fri 7th Dec, Thekla, Bristol

Beth Orton has a voice that can make grown men cry.  There’s a fragility and beauty to her sound that can unnerve and soothe in equal measure.  Since the critically adored ‘Trailer Park’ album in 1996, Beth has had a solid run of success with 4 further well-received folk-tronic efforts and she arrives in Bristol following a 6 year break.  In truth it is a little odd seeing the much publicised ‘comedown queen’ kicking off the weekend but even with whipper-snapper Ellie Goulding selling out over the road, Beth’s brand of electronica-alt-folk proves a big draw as she plays a stripped down and intimate acoustic set.

Guitar fully tuned and mug of tea gulped, she opens with comeback single ‘Magpie’.  It’s a visibly nervous start but she soon hits her stride.  The opening bars show a more accomplished guitar style no doubt a result of lessons with Bert Jansch prior to his death last year. There is a defiant optimism lyrically to many of the new tracks especially the opener which belies her shy live persona, ‘I won’t turn back not for anyone, I’ve seen the sign, and I know what is mine’.  Songs of loss and sadness (Beth lost both parents at a young age) are slowly being transcended by hope and resilience, new-found parental bliss and nuptials giving confidence to push the envelope on new multi-collaborative record ‘Sugaring Season’.

 

Husband and talented violinist Sam Amidon joins her on stage for ‘State of Grace’, a hypnotic folk ballad that warms the cockles like a glass of mulled wine before Beth almost apologetically changes the mood with seductive ‘oldie’ ‘Touch Me With Your Love’. New album highlight ‘Something More Beautiful’ is intensely powerful; breathless in parts it schizophrenically switches without warning from calm to feverish passion, both impressive and frightening to the bewildered audience.  ‘Central Reservation’ inspires a whispered sing-along and leaves a golf ball sized lump in the throat.  The rather unpalatable silences that started the gig are now filled with playful banter by the self-effacing singer and the crowd chuckle to tales of Beth’s recent train commutes and ‘arguing with old ladies’.

 

 

Humble and charming for the most part but with a sometimes spiky edge she confidently declares ‘right, lets get the old songs out of the way so we can get down to what we’re all here for’.  A trio of acoustic and violin folk ditties follow and are politely consumed but its not until ‘Concrete Sky’ and ‘Call Me The Breeze’ that the slightly glum mood is lifted.  The former sees some sleek harmonies from Amidon stepping well into the Ryan Adams role and the latter a gentle country-folk foot-tapper that animates the static crowd.

 

Returning to the stage, the gangly singer invites requests and ‘Stolen Car’ bereft of trippy indie layering is a real highlight.  A spine-tingling ‘I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine’ is followed by final track and rather anti-climactic cover ‘Ooh Child’.  In truth it would have been perhaps better to see Beth with a full band behind her but she has the unassuming charisma and harrowingly angelic voice to pull off what is a committed and top-notch performance.

Kindly published online at Venue.co.uk:
http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-b/19867-beth-orton

Best Track: Watch through link below:

Beth Orton - Concrete Sky


Setlist

1. Magpie
2. State Of Grace
3. Touch Me With Your Love
4. She Cries Your Name
5. Central Reservation
6. Something More Beautiful
7. Poison Tree
8. Mystery
9. Safe In Your Arms
10. Shopping Trolley
11. Concrete Sky
12. Call The Breeze
13. Dawn Chorus
14. Candles
15. All The Stars Seem To Weep
16. Stolen Car
17. Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine
18. Ooh Child