I was excited beforehand as much for the venue as the artist
as I’d heard good things about the Olympia, a concert hall that opened back in
1889 and has hosted such legends as Edith Piaf, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Paul
McCartney, Leonard Cohen, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Located on
Boulevard des Capucines in the Opera district, it has a distinctive appearance,
featuring the artist of the day in giant red lights on the building’s façade,
oozing with retro glamour. Enter the Olympia and you have the feeling that you
have stepped into a bygone era, with red the order of the day: carpet, lights
and seats. And in contrast to the soulless arenas played by international
superstars, the Olympia is really just a theatre, with a seating capacity of
1772. As I sat there on Thursday night, enjoying the Danish supporting act,
Mike Tramp – an artist that reminded me of one of my all-time heroes, John
Mayer – I was enchanted by the intimacy of the place. The venue played a huge
role in setting the tone for this concert, not least because it was praised
incessantly by both headline and supporting acts, who stressed their honour at
playing on such a legendary stage.
And as for the concert itself: Beth Hart immediately showed herself to be humble and genuine, expressing her delight to have sold out the Olympia and her desire to succeed in France. She thanked the audience profusely and maintained a connection with us throughout the show, asking us to get to our feet, getting us to sing along and opening her heart to us about her life and the heartbreak she has suffered. A drug addict 13 years ago, her songs reflect the pain that she has gone through and she introduced many of them with anecdotes from her past, including the time when her now-husband would visit her in rehab and ultimately save her from herself. Their love for each other was there for all to see and she dedicated the final song of the evening to him, the title track from the My California album, and the most angst-ridden performance of the night.
Yet despite playing the blues, the majority of Beth Hart’s songs
have an undeniably positive edge to them – Beth Hart is an artist to dance to. And
her positivity through the heartbreak is evident in the songs that she chooses
to perform live, favouring jazzy blues numbers and rocking guitar solos over
the more heart-rending collection on My California. Her sense of humour is also
evident and she introduced many of her more quirky numbers with amusing stories,
revealing another side of her personality.
Beth Hart performing Ugliest House on the Block at "Les Nocturnes"
The overriding feeling that I took away from the concert was that I had just experienced real music. I too enjoy listening to international, commercially successful artists, but there was something about this concert that was authentic and touching. This was not an artist producing a generic setlist night after night but rather a woman bearing her soul to her audience and actively involving them in the show. Her excitement to be there was refreshing and endearing and her endless talent awe-inspiring. From the piano to her powerhouse voice, self-penned tracks, choice of supporting act and choice of band, Beth Hart is a woman who truly loves music.
Appearing on stage in heels, an elegant red dress and heavily tattooed arms, she is a visual paradox but as the show unfolds, it becomes clear that the ups and downs of her life have simply transformed her into a multi-faceted character with a fascinating story to tell. An inspiring night at the Olympia with Beth Hart!
bethhart.com
olympiahall.com
