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Gig Review

Imelda May
Brighton, Dome

Article written by Alex S - Nov 26, 2011

Imelda May

This wasn’t a gig I’d planned to admit to but after a barnstorming evening I felt sufficiently shamed to say some words in praise of Imelda May. Having grown up on the music of Eddie Cochran and Elmore James Imelda was steeped in rock and roll, rockabilly and blues from a tender age. And having toured the Dublin club circuit from the age of 16 she has learnt her trade the hard way. Indeed, at the ripe old age of 37, success has come late to Imelda, and boy is she enjoying every minute of it. This was a joyously deranged performance, shot through with infectious double-bass, monstrous rockabilly guitar and rasping vocal adrenaline that brings to make some of the most powerful female singers past and present. Close your eyes during ‘Psycho’ and you could be at a Yeah Yeah Yeahs gig; do the same through ‘Gypsy’ and its Patsy Cline. Before tonight my fear was that it somehow wasn’t ‘real’; a modern day Shakin’ Stevens if you like, but two songs in and a thumping ‘Love Tattoo’ dispelled all thoughts of such nonsense.

In full Pam-Am dress and girdle, red plastic belt and bow, ponytail swishing in the wind, Imelda looked ineffably elegant. And she’s such a lovely woman. Between songs, stories of being a quarter Brightonian by virtue of a mad as wet hens grandma; or recounting the last time she was on this stage supporting Jools Holland and ‘how proud she was to be headlining’ she connected with her audience in a way I’ve rarely seen. When she thanked us at the end for “putting up with her rubbish” 1500 people wanted to rush on stage and hold her in their arms, but in a good way.

We had Everly Brothers covers (‘Temptation’), the ubiquitous ‘Tainted Love’ (Gloria Jones) and an Elvis mash-up to finish (‘My Baby Left Me/That’s Alright Mama). Highlight of the evening for me though was an extraordinary version of the Ronettes 1963 hit ‘Baby, I Love You’. First song of her encore, silhouetted by soft blue lighting and with just a ukulele for company, Imelda sang with such tenderness I felt a tear float down amongst the skinny jeans and plastic glasses. An outstanding moment in what was an A-list performance from a marvellous talent.

Links:
http://www.imeldamay.com/