Music: Al Green, Live at the O2

Al Green proved to me last night that you can hang all the bells and whistles, all the tinsel, all the costume changes and pyrotechnic explosions you want onto a live show but nothing can beat the energy, the professionalism, or the sheer charm of a great performer doing what he does best and enjoying the show...


I have always been a huge fan of soul, funk and motown music, and The Reverend Al Green is a true soul man whose voice, along with stars like Donny Hathaway, Wilson Pickett and Betty Wright, will always make my spine tingle, and this gig was no exception. His presence was magnetic, and every second of the show a true celebration of the love and joy in music, and every single person in the crowd rose to their feet for hits like Let's Stay Together and Tired of Being Alone, as well as being treated to some lesser known hits like Let's Get Married and the heart-breaking How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.

The entire two hour set was magnificent, from start to finish, and proved to me how disappointing it is that soul music, old and new, is not given the public credit or exposure of other far lesser and derogatory genres like R&B or house music. Whether this is because good contemporary soul performers are harder to come across than in the glory days of the sixties and seventies I don't know, but what is clear is that there is no ignoring the heritage of such great showmen and entertainers, true lovers of music and its power such as the reverend himself, that have gone before.

There might be no teaching an old dog new tricks, but why would you want to when the old tricks are JUST SO DAMN GOOD?