Julia Fordham @ MAC, 16th November, 2016
This is a first for me, as I’ve never been to the MAC before. It’s a venue which covers various events, from children’s activities, to spoken word, to exhibitions and what is meant to be art, that’s if you can call an old table and a spade in a glass case art. They also provide music, and that’s my sole reason for being here tonight, to see Julia Fordham, Live by Request.
Julia made her name in the eighties, before moving across the pond, where she is now based, and so it’s a rare treat when she ventures back home to England. Her live performances are a must and are usually intimate affairs, tonight being no different.
Supported as ever by long-time musical director and collaborator, Grant Mitchell, she opens with ‘Falling Forward’ and immediately the sound quality is perfect, as is Julia. The other musicians are Miles Bond on percussion (who played on the original Julia Fordham album) and Mark Neary on bass, subtly underpinning the songs but not overpowering.
The basis for this tour is to play the songs fans have requested, and whilst the usual suspects are present (‘Lock and Key’,’ Where does the time go’,’ Manhattan Skyline’) there are also some long lost gems such as ‘East West’, from the same title album which was never released here; although there is a new coloured vinyl version just re-released for the UK market. There is also a song Julia wrote for her parents, Roy and Muriel, called ‘Ingrid and Humphrey’ as the photo she shows us of them looks like Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart. Apparently the song got one vote, from Julia’s Mom, and so it has to be played. I believe it is unrecorded but is available on a new live disc. It’s wonderful stuff.
Julia remains as fresh as ever, and that voice is as pure in tone as it ever was. She also has the most humbling personality, and talks to the audience like long lost friends. For ‘Killing me slowly’ she tells us there was one request for the song from Birmingham, but Grant states he doesn’t know the song, and after a few guitar chords it’s not clear Julia does, as she asks for guidance from the audience. She manages a few lines and asks if anyone has recorded her attempt and not to put it on social media, followed by a wry grin.
She also tells us about being a huge fan of Michael McDonald, before signing a few bars of ‘I keep forgettin’ and then the story about him hearing her studio version and him ending up providing backing vocals for her track, a career highlight she feels. She does do a very good imitation of him!
Julia continues to tour the UK and if you can get a ticket it might just be one of the best musical nights of the year for you. Treat yourself; she doesn’t play here that often so go to see her while you can.
As for the MAC it is a great venue, free parking, decent priced beer and easy to get to. The sound quality was superb and it was easy to get away afterwards (the last time I saw Julia in Shrewsbury I got locked in a so-called 24 hour car-park, but that’s another story!)
Reviewer/Images: Glenn Raybone