First and foremost, if a show is going to be device free, make it known from the get go. Post it on tickets, advise people at the door, or lock up all phones to be safe. Posting signs obstructed from view and having security constantly interrupt the performance and escort folks out of the room to delete photos and videos from their phones or face the consequence of being removed from the building is beyond distracting and a terrible experience. Despite the poor vibe set by those precautions, Beth Gibbons made her heralded return to North America for Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee and upon her visit to New York, she reminded us all just as to why the way and the longing has remained so special for so many years. Performing the majority of last year's debut solo record Live Outgrown, Gibbons didn't revive the trip-hop aesthetics of her main group, but rather focused on a more acoustic sound of traditional folk music all held together by her still baffling and surreal vocals. Stripped of the turntable scratches and instead focused on string arrangements and more classical notations, the intimate performance was stark and commanded attention throughout, demanding everyone in the theatre to hang on each delicate note that rang out from the band as Beth's haunting voice carried over these hushed melodies. The attention to detail was strong throughout, the match of the acoustic guitar to the strings and an added layer of electronic guitar and synths on top held to shape the sound ever so slightly. The percussion for the evening was light and airy with the big kit looming in the back, but never wreaking havoc. A multi-instrumentalist stood on the opposite side of the stage and reached for saxophones, a flute, and traded those off for a marimba at times as well adding to the exquisite textures of the night. Never over powering, there were moments when I thought the sound could be louder, but retracted those ideas once it occurred to me how dialed in the room was and how silent so much of the crowd remained as we all watched on in total wonder. It came early in the set, but "Floating on a Moment" was an absolute stunner, her vocals reaching the heavens and the intimacy once again reaching a fever pitch. The taught strings really came to life on stage and added so much more than what the studio recordings could capture and did more to elevate the brilliance of Gibbons, revealing her true magic in real time as each song took shape. "Lost Changes" seeped into the night with its slow crawl and cosmic lurch that allows it's subtle power to unfurl with the utmost grace and sincerest sense of patience all of which felt ever more powerful live as the band helped bring it to life in full form. The renditions of her songs from her collaborative album with Rustin Man added more emphatic elements to the night, increasing the rhythm towards an almost motion-filled moment that was quickly subdued once she returned to her own solo material. With her face kept in darkness throughout and her retreat towards the back of the stage between each song, the elusive qualities of Gibbons seemed to be in full form, but as she ended her main set and lights lit her face for the first time, we saw a remarkable grin and an overflowing amount of joy that made her break character for just a moment as she thanked the crowd for a lovely evening. Returning once again to a dimly lit stage, the band took their spots and the spellbinding opening to Portishead's "Roads" flooded the room and people rose to their feet and cried exclamations of joy. The oozing opening notes of delayed Rhodes piano and that steady beat leading to Gibbons cry out "we've got a war to fight" felt more inspiring than I could've possibly imagined. Building slower than expected, Gibbons let us sit with this moment a while longer than expected and really built it up so that when the melody hit, people were weakened in the knees and pure euphoria took control. It was an astounding moment in an already momentous evening and bringing it all home with "Reaching Out" allowed her to deliver perhaps her most engaging vocal moment of the night as she soared to unbelievable heights once again before thanking the crowd to call it a night.
Set list:
02 "Burden of Life"
03 "Floating on a Moment"
04 "Rewind"
05 "For Sale"
06 "Mysteries" [Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man]
07 "Lost Changes"
08 "Oceans"
09 "Tom the Model" [Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man]
10 "Beyond the Sun"
11 "Whispering Love"
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12 "Roads" [Portishead]
13 "Reaching Out"
12 "Roads" [Portishead]
13 "Reaching Out"
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