Get the latest gossip

Beth Gibbons review – otherworldly presence transcends light and dark

The singer’s voice remains almighty in an intense and sometimes thunderous set, but ultimately what steps out of the tumult is her unswerving humanity

Flanked on three sides by her musicians, she stands several feet away and isolated at centre stage as an expectant hush gives way to the stark guitars, brooding drums and low clarinet of Tell Me Who You Are Today. The set contains light as well as darkness; it’s worth remembering that while Lives Outgrown is a record that grapples with death, ageing and decay, it also concerns the bravery and hope that emerges in response. Remaining constant and still amid the tumult is Gibbons herself, who leans forward to cling the microphone with both hands, rarely moving beyond a dropping of the head or the occasional glance behind her at the band.

Get the Android app