What does it sound like?:
It seems to be the season for releasing concerts from Hyde Park. Hot on the heels of the Paul Simon set comes this Carole King show, recorded in July of last year, in the same cd/dvd format.
Following the same concept as Simon’s Graceland show, this set has a complete performance of King’s seminal Tapestry album, supplemented with a smattering of some of her other best known songs from her voluminous back catalogue. Tapestry, now more than forty five years old, is an album that was one of my late ex’s favourites from way back in her student days, so I’ve heard it many, many times over the years, and it still retains a special place in my affections as one of the best singer songwriter albums from the seventies.
So what of the music? Well, as you’d expect, King is accompanied by a top-flight band that perform the songs impeccably, and she is still in excellent voice despite her advancing years – in fact this was her first UK show in over twenty five years. The songs are great of course and haven’t aged at all. Classic follows classic – what’s not to like about songs such as Up On The Roof, Natural Woman, I Feel The Earth Move and It’s Too Late – and that’s just a sample of what’s on offer here. There’s also a great Goffin/King section mid-show, including It Might As Well Rain Until September, Take Good Care Of My Baby and One Fine Day. This show just flies by, with barely a moment where your attention wanders, and it’s a set that I very much enjoyed, far more than I expected actually. In fact it made me wish I’d been there on the night as I think it’s unlikely we’ll see her on these shores again anytime soon.
What does it all *mean*?
I wonder if the golden age of albums with this kind of longevity has gone forever.
Goes well with…
A pleasant evening spent remembering times slipped away.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
The Tapestry album, other singer songwriters such as James Taylor.
Twang says
Who was in the band Bargie? I’ve loved that album since I snagged my mum’s copy back in the day. Just wonderful.
nickduvet says
Danny Korchmar was the guitarist IIRC. Saw it on TV a few weeks and it’s worth checking out
Bargepole says
My copy came without any info other than it’s Korthcmar on guitar.
DogFacedBoy says
DK who under the name Ronnie Pudding was the bass player of a pre Derek Smalls Spinal Tap. Stood in for Smalls again during the Shark Sandwich tour in 1980 when Derek was hospitalised with tin foil poisoning
SteveT says
I was at that show thanks to some tickets that @niallb couldn’t use. It was a special show made more special by the likelihood of her playng here again being pretty slim.
I remember coming out of the park and the crowd singing You’ve got a friend whilst we were waiting to get out through the gates. Very moving.
Twang says
Lee Sklar was saying in a podcast that she still sings everything in the original keys and is pretty much the only one of that generation who does!
dai says
I think Macca still does too (with mixed results)
metal mickey says
It’s a different thing of course, but in the absence of the lady herself, I’d recommend the Carole-King-story stage show “Beautiful”, which I’ve seen a few times now. As you’d imagine, it’s basically one bulletproof song after another, and as if hammer the point home, they even conflate the story with that of Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich, so you get the best of their songs, too…
Twang says
Yes we took Mrs. T’s Dad – great show.