Barbara Dickson

So, knocking at the door of forty years since rising to prominence, and looking back on a career as a singer and actress festooned with awards, hits and popular acclaim what does Barbara Dickson do now? To the delight of her audience she just keeps on delivering.

This tour showcases the album “To Each and Everyone” on which she has selected her favourites from the repertoire of her late friend, Gerry Rafferty, and reproduced them with new arrangements.

She opens with “Where I Belong” and “Family Tree” from the new album – the first sung solo with harmonium, the second bringing on the four band members who are faultless throughout. Troy Donockley, her long-standing arranger and multi-instrumentalist, gives some stunning interludes on an array of instruments including uilleann pipes. Ms. Dickson pitches in with guitars and keyboards and, of course, a voice seemingly untouched by the years, so her audience (of a largely vintage demographic) are treated to spotless and seamless renditions and medleys plucked from the artiste’s vast and varied catalogue. “Another Suitcase”, “Answer Me”, “Easy Terms” and “Caravan” are enthusiastically received among the newer recordings and gems from the pens of Ian Campbell, George Harrison and Bertolt Brecht.

Though her two generous sets covered all of the above with the broadest possible mix of popular, theatre and, yes, folk club favourites (The Great Selkie etc.) there was many a discussion among the departing faithful on further additions to the set. Fact is, to keep them all happy, she’d have to work shifts. Or miracles.

Peter Gillan