ShareElkie Brooks performing her Long Farewell Tour at The Theatre Royal Nottingham on Sunday 28th June 2026.
Images and Review Kevin Cooper
In the early 70’s Vinegar Joe was the band fronted by The British Queen of Blues, Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer. Lasting just three years this was the chapter that was to launch both of their solo careers.
Over fifty years later she was at The Theatre Royal in Nottingham on Sunday night to deliver a peerless master class in jazz and soulful blues interpretations to a sold out crowd as her Long Farewell Tour made a stop there.
She delivered two sets that covered much of her career and included a selection of her own songs as well as known covers from the likes of Chris Rea, Bob Dylan, Russ Ballard and Dinah Washington to name just a few but she made her charismatic entrance and immediately unleashed her impressive vocal range on Carole King’s Goin’ Back.
Following up with a rarely aired song from her 1978 Shooting Star album, Learn To Love, the first set comprised mostly of her earlier songs taken from the period of 1975 to 1982 and these included a cover of Chris Rea’s Fool If You Think It’s Over, The Moody Blues’ Night In White Satin, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I Put A Spell On You and a closer of her sublime hit single Lilac Wine that had the crowd singing along as Brooks showed off her lauded wild stage presence as she strutted across the stage.
After a break the second half got under way with No More The Fool before her smokey and vintage soulful voice held the crowd’s attention with a spellbinding version of Rag ‘n’ Bone Man’s Human. Her enduring timeless Hit, Pearl’s A Singer, was accompanied by enthusiastic audience participation, which brought the crowd to its feet.
Finishing the set with Baby What You Want Me To Do, this had been a show with no gimmicks, no ego and no messing because Brooks doesn’t need them. Her voice was the show and the crowd whole heartedly agreed.
At encore time she picked three well known covers, Dinah Washington’s Long John Blues, Prince’s Purple Rain and Bob Segar’s We’ve Got Tonight that brought the whole crowd to their feet in appreciation for Brook’s subliminal voice and the band’s perfectly executed solos.
3 Replies
Outstanding, the best British female by far.
She is an amazing performer with an outstanding vocal range. Love ger!
BEEN SEEING Elkie since 1960,s She getse..Her voice gets better with age…Where does she get all her energy from.Saw her show on the 28th June at The Nottingham Theatre Royal..Didnt want the show to end..Hope I get to see her in 2027…