A few years ago I was having a lively discussion with a friend who couldn't believe I really thought Christine Collister was the greatest singer in the country. He said "Are you honestly telling me she's a greater singer than Linda Thompson??" Well, I responded by saying it was hard to compare as I'd never seen the latter live, and doubted that I would. Well, the original question is moot, but now I'm glad to say that I HAVE seen Linda Thompson in concert, and it felt like a privilege.
In a way, although her circumstances are VERY different, it was almost akin to what it must have been like seeing David Helfgott play live again after all he had gone through. [For those who don't know about her, she was one of England's very greatest folk singers, her style the epitome of undemonstrative eloquence; her singing career was effectively scotched by a rare condition known as hysterical dysphonia; she didn't make a record for about 17 years, and didn't sing in concert for even longer]. There was a mixture of great warmth and goodwill, combined with trepidation about whether she'd get through the gig, what her voice would sound like, and so on. It turned out well in the end. It must have been a huge emotional boost having two of her children on stage with her, son Teddy and daughter Kamila, both of whom have beautiful voices themselves. There was a lovely, informal air to the concert, which was held in a small and very intimate theatre in west London (the Lyric, Hammersmith). Her voice certainly isn't the majestic instrument it was when she was in her pomp, but it sounded in remarkably good nick considering what she's been through. The emotional authority and mastery of interpretive nuance are undimmed, and there were moments where we could hear some of the real power she used to weild - sometimes in a few impromptu, off-mike notes. She sang most of the songs from her lovely new album, mixing in a few old Richard & Linda numbers like Lonely Hearts and her nearest thing to a solo hit, Telling Me Lies (which was a big hit for Harris, Parton and Ronstadt). Then at the end she sang I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight - well what can I say, big grins were breaking out in the audience. What would she do for an encore? Dimming of the Day, of course, which despite Bonnie Raitt's superb version (and indeed Richard T's sterling solo renditions) remains indisputably Linda's song. That was a Moment! Azeem in London NP: Linda Thompson, who else - One Clear Moment, a wonderful song, title track from her first solo album, which has never been issued on CD - for shame! "Better an instant with the angels Than a lifetime with the saints All I need is one clear moment One clear moment's all it takes"
