Beverley Knight & Mama’s Gun Live
Lowry Manchester, 5 April 2010

The last time I saw Beverley Knight perform live was in 1999 at the Witnness Festival in Dublin. I thought she was good then… In 2001 I interviewed her and concluded that not only was she a highly talented artist but a charismatic and open one - an absolute joy to interview. Three albums, a bunch of awards, and torrents of water under the bridge later and here I am in 2010 at the wonderful lyric Theatre, part of the beautiful canalside Lowry centre, itching to see what’s changed and to hear songs from her latest album performed live. Now I haven’t heard the album but Amazon customers are pretty unanimous in believing that 100% is her best album to-date.

The last time I was at the Lyric Theatre was to see the Cowboy Junkies, and I’d forgotten how large it is. I’m reliably informed that it holds 1,700 punters and tonight it seemed very close to capacity. The audience age range was roughly from 28-70, which kinda surprised me, but perhaps it shouldn’t have. Beverley is a highly acclaimed artist but switch on your radio and you might catch her on BBC Radio 2 and nowhere else. I call it the ‘British Desease’; great talent hardly ever heard on mainstream radio or seen on TV here. The result for Beverley is sales well below what she deserves. However, now she is under her own management with her own label (which basically means most of the cash she makes is her own) maybe she will be able to take a serious plunge into the USA market, where I think she could fly. Leona Lewis had piles of cash behind her, Simon Cowell and the X-Factor factor, and while she has a good voice is miles away from Beverley’s live performance capabilities.

But first on stage is Billie Godfrey, one of Beverley’s three backing vocalists who has just released her debut album called THE EDEN TREE. Billie is a singer songwriter who has sung with with renowned artists such as Chaka Khan, Santana, Prince, Paulo Nutini and soul Singer Beverley Knight for whom she is opening on her current UK tour. She has also recorded with Ray Lamontagne for the Grammy nominated album GOSSIP IN THE GRAIN as well as providing vocals for the Oscar-winning soundtrack to the film ‘Ray.’

As a song-writer Billie has already co-written for Sao Benitez (’Feeling High’) and Mr Hermano (Mr Bongo Records) as well as Heaven 17. THE EDEN TREE produced by Ben Mitchell, is a collection of twelve original songs and two covers of artists that have inspired Billie’s own song-writing. Joni Mitchell (Woodstock) and Carol King (You’ve Got A Friend). Musically the songs are inspired by soul, gospel and folk artists such as Ray Lamontagne, Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin , Joni Mitchell and Stevie Wonder. Billie’s vocal influences include Minnie Riperton, Eva Cassidy and Anita Baker and The Eden Tree features vcoal arrangements which echo those of Stevie Wonder and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Vocally, Godfrey delivered big-time. She exudes experience and vocal range, while her songs offer a mix of dark and light with intelligent lyrics. But, stuck behind her mic stand she reminded me of a night club singer; static and formal. When her three backing singers arrived she loosened up a bit, but not enough to fully involve the audience. This lady has 80% of what is required from a solid artist, but that minority 20% in the live arena is critical in securing audience connection.

Born in a military hospital in Kowloon, Hong Kong, to a nomadic father who’d landed in the Far East as a police recruit in their battles with underground Triad organisations, Mamas Gun lead-man Andy Platts soaked up the musical ether that surrounded him (which included the Beatles, the Doors and ELO from his father, and a Filipino mother (who played Spanish-influenced guitar), attending countless schools in the process before winning a place at Liverpool’s LIPA institute. Subsequently, Platts played on Corinne Bailey Rae’s hugely successful debut album and in 2006 landed his own publishing deal with Zomba Music. This led to collaborations with an extraordinary song-writing A-list that included Rod ‘Thriller’ Temperton, John Oates, Jed Leiber (son of hit-making legend Jerry) and former Gil Scott-Heron collaborator Brian Jackson.

In March 2010 Mamas Gun released the ‘Deluxe’ version of 2009’s debut album ROUTES TO RICHES. Co-produced by Julian Simmons (Guillemots), mixed by Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer
Jack Joseph Puig (Black Eyed Peas, U2, the Rolling Stones) and mastered by the equally notable Bob Ludwig, ROUTES TO RICHES manages to combine the euphoria of soul and Motown music with the spirit of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Lewis Taylor and the Average White Band at their blue-eyed-soul best.

The same criticism applied to Mamas Gun, Beverley’s main support. Lead-man Andy Platts has it all: great voice, good songs and a skilled band of instrumentalists in Rex Horan (bass), Terry Lewis (guitar), Dave Burnell (keys) and Jack Pollit (drums). In fact the band is one of the tightest I’ve heard, but the set seemed somewhat over-rehearsed and regimented. It was the final song of the set that really showed this band at its live best, as they unleashed a rocky and animated display that had the audience cheering wildly. I suspect the very formal, seated theatre venue was partially to blame and in a ‘normal’ music venue, the band would loosen up heaps.