| B.B.
King
Wembley Arena - April 2006
Review David Atkinson
Last
night the UK bid a fond farewell to The King of The Blues.
I'd long avoided seeing BB King live because I so much admired his
late sixties and early seventies output, particularly the classic
Live At The Regal and the lesser known but equally
incendiary Live In Japan. Both awesome albums documenting
a blues artist at the very peak of his powers: the tightest bands,
the most expressive singing and guitar work, and almost orgiastic
audience responses. I just knew I’d be disappointed. This
guy is eighty years old! Surely he’s a shadow of his former
self?
Well, no…
Wembley Arena is probably as far removed from the Regal Theatre
as it is possible to get – a cavernous, chilly venue you could
fly a jumbo jet through. Not exactly intimate, yet BB King can not
only draw a big enough crowd but fill the massive space with soul
as well.
King has always led a great band and along with his natural charisma
it was the strength and polish of his group that carries him though
tonight. The pace was gentle but still far more than you'd expect
from someone his age. Relying more on his still-strong singing than
Lucille - who was in fine voice nevertheless -
we got plenty of banter and respectful audience participation and
were still treated to some fine versions of some of his classic
tunes.
He earned his success through years on the road, developing a sophisticated
sound that marries the swing of Louis Jordan with
a gospel singer’s convictions and a guitar style that fuses
T-Bone Walker, Lonnie Johnson
and Charlie Christian. It's this emotive guitar
playing that has had the biggest impact on blues and popular music
but no one else does it with such aplomb.
As interchangeable as his guest-star filled albums of the past fifteen
years or so have been his career was built on a relentless touring
schedule and the highlights of his recorded output have always been
the live albums. Tonight, there was no trace of pastiche or self-parody,
his spirit obviously not dimmed by his age or ill health. While
I'd have loved to see the BB King of old, knowing his heart is clearly
still in what he does more than made up for it.
"I wish I could go on doing this forever," he said at
one point. Obviously he can't but I'm glad I saw him while he still
could.
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