Event

Joan Armatrading

If there was ever any doubt that Joan Armatrading is more, much more, than those first great songs that brought her to the world's attention Love And Affection, Me Myself I, Drop The Pilot, Willow - these shows incalculably support the claim.

For almost two hours Joan holds the stage, trawling through her career's songbook, utilising various guitars (and playing techniques) and a piano. She shares some of the highlights of the last four decades and she gives us a glimpse of her world.

Not for nothing was she at the top of the Billboard blues chart when "Into The Blues" came out. Indeed in 2007 Joan Armatrading became the first female UK artist to debut at number 1 in the Billboard Blues chart. She also became the first ever female UK artist to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the blues category.

'Catch it if you can' is a much touted phrase but here it never holds truer. This really is a show to be caught at any cost. Never to be repeated, affirmative. Multi-talented, conclusive. Impressive is a very good word for Joan Armatrading.