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Beth Hart is truly an amazing artist who can captivate her audience through her wonderful blues-based rock, and tonight at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall was no different. From the moment she took the stage to her final notes of the night, the audience clearly showed true love for her.

Beth Hart – Symphony Hall, Birmingham

March 9, 2023

Words and photography: Andy Shaw

Starting with Love Gangster, Beth’s voice was impeccable and her band, which has been with her for many years, was an extension of her voice. Delicious Surprise followed up on their 1999 album Screamin’ for My Supper, followed by When The Levee Breaks, a cover of the Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy song embraced by Led Zeppelin.

Beth then sat down at the piano for I’ll Take Care Of You, after which she told the story of the next song, As Good As It Gets. “This song is a true story,” says Beth. “My mom calls on the phone and says that Mark, her father, has left me for Penny down the street. She lives 12 hours away, and both my sister and I were on our way, so we were both going to kill him. When I got there, I thought, let’s write a bunch of songs about it.”

He went on to explain that his story proves that Love Is A Lie, another song he wrote about his mother.

His band of Jon Nichols (guitar), Bill Ransom (drums) and Tom Lilly (bass) are in top form. Next up is The Ugliest House on the Block, which explains that it’s about the house she bought with her husband and route manager, Scott Guetzkow.

With Beth on piano, he plays Bad Woman Blues, War in My Mind, followed by Fire On The Floor. By the time we get to Something Alone, the crowd is totally enthralled by her acting and storytelling.

Without Words In The Way is a song Beth wrote for her dad, and here she is joined by Tom Lilly on double bass. The other band members join her at the front of the stage for an acoustic section of the show, beginning with Sugar Shack, where, in the middle, Bill Ransom gives a brilliant solo on his bongos.

This is followed by a cover of the Randy Week song Can’t Let Go, then a cover by Bill Withers For My Friend. The set ended with No Quarter/Babe I’m Gonna Leave You from their latest album, A Tribute To Led Zepplin, and it seems that both the audience and the band seemed a bit reluctant for the show to end.

Returning to the stage, Jon Nichols plays a few bars of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love before moving on to a cover of Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind.

The band leaves the stage leaving Beth sitting in the front. She explains how she was inspired by something she saw on YouTube, the singer Callie Day and the song Hear My Prayer. Beth plays her own version of her alone. Her voice reverberating from her in the cavernous Symphony Hall is a chilling way to end the evening. The band joins her for a final goodbye and it’s the end of a wonderful night.