I remember listening to Vinegar Joe in the early 1970’s, the band fronted by Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer. Lasting just 3 years between 1971 and 1974 this was the chapter that was to launch both of their solo careers. The album I was listening to, and subsequently went out and bought with my hard-earned pocket money, was Six Star General. Elkie Brooks gained a reputation for being ‘the wild woman of rock’ with her hard-assed attitude and very short skirts; her voice was like sandpaper and more aggressive than anything I’d heard previously.
Move on 50-odd years and the lady is still at it; much of the attitude may have gone, the micro mini-skirts certainly have, but she still manages to attract an audience having produced some fabulous jazz and blues-focused rock music during that intervening period.
Cheltenham Town Hall was a sell-out and I was lucky enough to be there to capture the night.
Two sets tonight with songs covering much of her career and including a selection of her own songs as well as well known covers from the likes of Chris Rea, Bob Dylan, Russ Ballard and Dinah Washington – to name just a few.
There’s chat between the songs, some about how nice the shops were in Cheltenham (takes all sorts I guess), some about her upbringing in the Salford area of Manchester and she still has a hint of the Mancunian accent despite living in the States for a time and now in Devon.
Now, not a lot of people know this, but while I was at Manchester University I lived close to where, allegedly, Elkie made her unofficial debut, aged 13, at the La Ronde club on Cheetham Hill Road!
The first set comprised mostly earlier songs taken from the period 1975-1982 and these included a cover of Chris Rea’s Fool if you Think it’s Over, Justin Hayward’s Nights in White Satin, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I Put a Spell on You and a closer of Lilac Wine where the stage was bathed in purple light and the audience tried to get involved – smashing!
After a brief break for tea and sarnies the second half got under way with a thoroughly modern cover; Rag ‘n’ Bone Man’s Human. Russ Ballard was next to be covered with No More the Fool and then the song that nearly brought the house down, Pearl’s a Singer. The set finished with Baby What do you Want me to do? A very short step away from the stage was the indication that it was encore time and Elkie had picked three well known covers for this; Long John Blues by Dinah Washington, Purple Rain by Prince and We’ve got Tonight by Bob Seger.
A standing ovation greeted the end of the Bob Seger song and the band waved their goodbyes; the voice was brilliant all evening, the solo’s executed perfectly, particularly those from Tim Mills (guitar) and Mike Smith (saxophone) but none were without merit. A fabulous show all round and it only took me 55 years to see Elkie Brooks live!
Twenty one songs in almost 2 hours were well worth every penny each person spent on their ticket. The lady is back in this area next year when the tour comes to Malvern, I’d strobgly advise going along . . . if you can get a ticket.
Setlist: Part 1
Going Back
Learn to Love
Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
Warm & Tender Love
Fool if You Think it’s Over
Sunshine After the Rain
Don’t Cry Out Loud
Make you Feel my Love
Honey, Can I put on Your Clothes
I put a Spell on You
Night in White Satin
Lilac Wine
Setlist: Part 2
Human
No More the Fool
Pearl’s a Singer
Red House
Tore Down
Baby What do you Want me to do?
Encores:
Long John Blues
Purple Rain
We’ve got Tonight
Words & images: Reg Richardson
hi elkie i am so proud of you what you have done all these years. violet and charlie very happy for you. yes it’s me elkie still around now 85 yrs i do hope you get this message Brenda Bookbinder. i am still living Toronto. i have 2 great granddaughters. Congratulations keep well you look great.