LISA MILLS

Live Review

Robin 2, Bilston, Wolverhampton (2012)

Alabama blues player, Lisa Mills must be one of the music industry’s best kept secrets. 

She has talent and stage presence in bucket loads with a versatile, soulful and powerful voice which could hold its own against any of the great female singers including Janice Joplin, Aretha Franklin and Christina Aguilera. 

Even when the strings broke twice on the only guitar she had she was not fazed and banged out a cappella songs that could have rattled the structure of a football stadium let along the hangar which is the Robin. 

If you want to hear great blues songs such as Why Do I Still Love You, Sugar Coated Lovin’ and Way Down sung with incredible emotion that slides off her tongue like honey, you should find Lisa Mills and enjoy the blues how they should be sung. 

Kate Rusby

Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

Sitting regally like a queen on her throne welcoming her subjects, the heavily pregnant Kate Rusby finally made it to Wolverhampton after cancelling her Christmas show and gave a right royal performance. 

The northern lass, who is now in her 20th year of performing, has a down to earth girlish charm to go with her wonderfully distinctive voice and more than made up for the rescheduling of the concert. 

Songs such as Green Fields, Who Will Sing Me Lullabies, The Fairest of all Yarrow, Let the Cold Wind Blow and Wishing Wife, the tale of which she went to great lengths to convince of its veracity, kept her audience hanging on every note. 

Kate and her band is bringing out a compilation album to mark her two decades so it’s one to watch out for.