Elkie Brooks Pearls the Video Show A&M Records 1982

Reviewed 3rd February 2004

This review is not an archive, nor is the video a re-release, although I wish it was. It's a 1982 release by A&M that my wife managed to procure from Ebay to replace the misplaced…. i.e. lent out and has never been returned…precious Elkie video.

I was impressed in 1982 when I saw Elkie at Bradford's Alhambra Theatre and I still am so here's a review of a truly classic performance.

The video starts with images around the theatre which I believe is the New Kingston Theatre Hull, to the lilting melody of Our Love . The show quickly progresses to Elkie and the band on stage performing Chris Rea's Fool If You Think It's Over , a lovely mid tempo song. Elkies's soon in her stride and performs Superstar exactly how you would expect her to with grace and style with her wonderfully rich vocals coming to the fore. A lovely song performed so well.

From this point things started to hot up considerably with a robotic dancer pinging an old fashioned shop till that forms part of the intro to Pink Floyd's Money . Backed by a very classy band led by English guitar wizard and musical director for this tour, Geoff Whitehorn, Elkie skilfully sang her way through as if the song had been written for her, although that is the usual case. She has the ability to make all songs her own.

Next on the repertoire came a song that was the start of the “cold shiver syndrome” this video gives me. This is Will You Write Me A Song a fabulous production which takes us to “the moment” where Elkie and Geoff's skills send cold shivers of pleasure and awe down my back. What a moment it is, and not many artist have that ability to do that to me. Fantastic!

Showing her versatility, Elkie proceeded to sing the blues, a Billie Holliday blues called More And Then Some . She sings the blues so well and the outro of Geoff and Elkie provided yet another “moment” for me!

Elkie is “Little Miss Versatile” I would say and her version of Lonely Avenue suddenly showed her Rock'n'roll credentials. It really suits her too. A 12 bar style with excellent guitar fills and the brilliant rhythm section wrap it up nicely.

The mood changed to allow Elkie to transform into Pearl . Her Pearls era started with the excellent Sunshine After The Rain which morphed into Don't Cry Out Loud , both wonderful and typically styled Elkie songs. The theme of Pearl continued with the utterly superb Pearl's a Singer . The backing dominated by a fabulous piano theme making the song a classic in anybody's book.

Recently covered by Katie Melua, to time travel to the present, The song Lilac Wine , yet another classic was next from the varied repertoire. Sang with simmering emotion and Elkie's arms gesticulating soothing shapes in her typical style. It is a fabulous progression through to its mega-crescendo which on this occasion in ‘82 prompted a standing ovation from the crowd in mid-concert! So well deserved too.

One of the reasons I was desperate to secure this replacement video was for this next song, Free's classic Be My Friend .Elkie does this song a power of good. Starting with Geoff Whitehorn's five chord intro,Elkie comes in with her wonderful vocals “All I Need…is a friend!” It just knocks me out this song, it's just so good. The song progresses to a cold shiver moment again! Wow! Elkie sings these rock/blues ballads with ease, it's just so natural. During this great song Geoff and Elkie traded vocal licks for guitar licks. Knockout material!

Without a much of a break the band launched in to the Mark 2 Fleetwood Mac song Don't Stop . With a great piano/guitar intro backed by this superb band Elkie easily canters through this song. Funny how Elkie can sing these song without breaking sweat, an American styled AOR anthem, yet Elkie never made it big in The States. There's no justice.

Let's get back to this brilliant video and Elkie's version of Whitesnake's Fool For Your Lovin' . Another rocky blues from the eighties. No problem for our heroine from Salford . With Geoff Whitehorn, truly one of Great Britain 's finest rock guitar players, and this fabulous band she couldn't fail to impress once again. With her flowing auburn tresses shaking to the beat and her characteristic arm movements, it's a superb piece of videotape. Rock on Elkie!

The mighty intro to Nights in White Satin swelled then quelled as Elkie sang the immortal words of the title. This is another epic production and another “moment” for me! The timing is as tight as a drum. It's a difficult song when produced like this but Elkie and the band pull it off without a glitch. This tremendous finale produced yet another standing ovation, just like I saw in Bradford in '82.The audience went wild!

Pretty quickly on the video, the band assembled to play the three song encore starting with the jaunty but well loved Gasoline Alley Bred . This had an extra percussion element and was superb. Not sure if a flute and penny whistle were used in this too. Great song that gave way to the marvellous, Maybe I'm Amazed . (Mr P. McCartney perhaps) Elkie took this great song and made it sound greater still with a little help from her fantastic band and Geoff Whitehorn's melodic six strings! Lovely song.

The last number on this classic video is another rock'n'roller with Elkie happily singing the grand old song, Mess of the Blues . More in the Elvis style than a Status Quo style, the song was excellent because it was “Elkie” Style! A brilliant finale to a classic concert.

This concert ought to be available on DVD nowadays as a re-issue. I believe the video is now discontinued, hence the purchase on Ebay. If you can get hold of one of these videos, treasure it, because that's what I'm going to do.

Steve Lally©