Review by Junkman
Photos by Charlie Steffens
For the most part, things in 2022 have started off right. After the obvious issues with COVID-19 and all its ramifications put the kibosh on the majority of live music shows the last couple of years, it’s good to get the feeling that things are beginning to get back to normal again. I’m talking about sitting comfortably in a theater, enjoying a live performance by one of your favorite artists, trying to check out of reality for a couple hours and being totally blown away by what is being performed onstage. No “virtual concert” has been able to achieve much for me, no matter WHO is performing it. I mean, it might as well be a live DVD in your computer or TV. The feeling is just not there for me.
When an artist can bring out their soul in a live setting and literally hand it to you — that is what’s most special about being there live. Intimacy and honesty, as well as a wealth of talent, are what make singer Beth Hart one of these artists. She has the gift of making you feel like she’s an old friend, by projecting through her music and words. Someone who’s every thought includes you in on what she is thinking and feeling at the moment — I cannot think of many artists that possess this combination of talent in the way she can, at least consistently.
I visited the lovely Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills and caught Beth Hart and her band at their best. The Saban is a wonderful Art Deco style, two-thousand-seat-capacity venue in the heart of the city of Beverly Hills. The sound is fantastic, the lobby and interior are elegant, and the seating is comfortable.
Opening act Quinn Sullivan, a very sweet-voiced young man, played a bluesy-pop style of music. It brought to mind someone in the category of John Mayer. He accompanied himself on guitar, and apparently has been doing that since the age of three. In the past he has performed alongside legends Buddy Guy and BB King. Tonight, he was joined onstage by pianist and mandolin player Chris Bloniarz. Their short set of well-crafted songs, as well as an interesting mashup of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” was well received by the sold-out crowd. I am now a fan!
Around 9:00, the lights dimmed and “ We’re Movin’ On Up” the theme for the 1970’s TV show The Jeffersons blared over the PA system, putting smiles on the faces of everyone in attendance. Beth Hart and her band appeared, and opened with a down-right steamy version of the Led Zeppelin classic “When The Levee Breaks,” then sliding into the mighty Zep’s “Dancing Days,” putting the tone on what was to come. With the release of Hart’s album, A Tribute To Led Zeppelin, we’d definitely be hearing more selections from the legendary British band’s rich catalog.
Hart was clearly into it, shaking and projecting every note out of her body like a woman possessed. Throughout the performance, she strutted back and forth across the stage, at times kneeling, back-bending and crouching, then sitting in a lotus position at the edge of the stage, she belted out song after song with the emotion of a spiritual revival.
After introducing her terrific band — Jon Nichols on guitar, Tom Lilly on bass and Bill Ransom on drums — she exclaimed: “This is my town man, Los Angeles.” She was clearly pleased to be playing to her home town crowd, who were electric from the opening note. So many magic moments happened during this performance. So many styles — from the soulful ballad, “Tell Her You Belong to Me,” to the rave-up version of LaVerne Baker’s “Saved,” as well as a dreamy version of Melody Gardot’s “Your Heat Is As Black As Night” — showcased her incredible delivery. I was transfixed on every note.
Hart’s banter with the audience is so pure. She spoke of the way she was trying to stop smoking, and showed off her nicotine patch as well as the thin tube that her husband Scott had given her to occasionally inhale through and wave as though it were a cigarette. All the while, making us feel like we were in a living room with her, not a theater. It’s this kind of performance that others simply cannot achieve.
“Rub Me For Luck,” which I think would be a great James Bond theme song, from 2019’s War In My Mind is a powerful ballad. It just has that same feel and Hart dedicated to all the great guitarists that she has played with, like Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa and her current guitarist, Jon Nichols, whose solo during this number literally soared over the singer’s powerful pipes to perfection. Seated behind a piano, Hart rolled with the bouncy “Bad Woman Blues” and then shifted gears into the heartfelt “My California,” which she dedicated to her husband, who touchingly came onstage and gave her a hug at the song’s dramatic end.
Hart brought out her neighbor, Rich Devletian, to play an interesting instrument called the GuitarViol, a cross between a guitar and viola that is played with a bow, for the introspective “Woman Down,” which brought the audience to their feet at the song’s end. After dedicating the lovely “Without Words in the Way” to her best friend, she brought out another friend, percussionist Paul Blazek, to join her and the band on cajon and congas for a few acoustic numbers. The stripped-down band, including Hart, played acoustic instruments at the front edge of the stage. After a wonderful “Sugar Shack,” a delighted Hart shouted: “This is SOOO much FUN!” She was clearly enjoying her time onstage.
At around the two-hour point, Hart talked about playing long sets, and explained how her husband who’s also her manager had asked her to shorten the sets on the road to save her from exhaustion. She then playfully told the crowd: “If you have someplace to go, that’s cool, I’ll still be here.” She crouched on the edge of the stage and returned to the Led Zeppelin songbook, first with a stirring version of “No Quarter,” followed by an equally incredible version of “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” that brought the traditional folk song to another level. The crowd roared their approval with a standing ovation and the floor shook and the seats rattled as the band left the stage. It did not stop until Hart returned, alone at the piano for the finale “Leave The Light On.”
This is the kind of performance I have been waiting a long time to see. So many acts these days seem to rely on gimmicks, flashing lights, fashion trends, and political discourse. Not Beth Hart. What you get is an honest, in-your-face, delightful performance from a musician who has all the talent and focus to bring you into her world and make you forget about all the negativity going on outside and beyond. In other words, it was exactly what I was hoping for and received.
