As soon as Beth slid onto the stage from the wings, I just knew this was going to be no ordinary performance. She’s a tall lady and looks younger than her fifty-plus years. Looking through my long lens it seemed to me she had a youthful charm, and the stage was her natural habitat - it was a though she had just wandered into her living room at home to play to her family and friends. Without introduction she was into her first song with Marcus playing guitar alongside her.

‘More Than Love’ arrived early in up-beat, grand folk-rock style; the perfect introduction. There seemed to be problems with sound that were some distance from her sound-check settings, but presented an opportunity to immediately connect comically with her audience when she quipped, “It’s too late to claim your money back now.” If it was performance device, it was a clever and beautifully executed one, which put the audience at ease with laughter coming from both sides.

‘Hallelujah’ arrived next, a more reflective song with formidable backing from Marcus, and a Beth vocal that soared to the heavens in the choruses. It was spine-tingling stuff, so natural, and so early in the show… Then she introduced the next song and made my night. ‘Sand And Water’ is from that first album acquisition, and is beautiful and moving beyond belief. Sung live with Marcus supplying backing vocals, it proved even more devastating. It was the first special moment in a show that was bursting with them. It was also the point in the show when I felt regret that more young people weren’t there to witness and experience musical greatness… Lyrics like, “All alone I didn’t like the feeling/All alone I sat and cried/All alone I had to find a meaning/In the center of the pain I felt inside,” come from a special place; simple, powerful, real, and intensely moving - the essence of great song writing.

‘Happiness’ is another introspective song with hope at its core, and came with an interesting story involving writer’s block, buzzing ears, a brain tumour, surgery, and wondering what “happiness would look like if it walked through the door.” Marcus played the keyboard in harpsichord mode while Beth gave another moving, natural, and thoughtful performance. It’s on the new album and is just one of a string of great songs.

Before she played the next song she explained what a joyful experience making the new album was, after three battles with cancer (including her husband’s). ‘How We Love’ is a slow-moving narrative tale based on her personal experiences (”From the ashes new things start…”) driven by a powerful melody and simple piano backdrop provided by her - another very special song, another very special moment. Then back upbeat with another new track reeking of optimism and joy, ‘I Can See Me Loving You.’ Marcus on banjo added bounce and excitement to a foot-stomper of a tune.