20 March 2017 (gig)
22 March 2017
Sari Schorr is riding the crest of the wave at the moment, adored in Britain and playing to packed houses, elevated to slots at Carnegie Hall in the US and breaking through in Europe playing festivals all over.
Her set at London’s – refurbished – Borderline was stunning and showed just what she and The Engine Room are all about.
For me the amazing thing is that she and the band actually do seem to be a unit and the strength that they get from that closeness translates to a spectacular musical experience. I’ve lost track of the number of ‘stars’ who say “these guys are the best I’ve ever played with – we are a family” and the next thing they are ditched for nameless sessioneers who don’t intrude on the ‘star’ but the feeling coming from the stage was a genuine love for each other and for their audience.
Schorr has one of the most powerful yet musical voices around at the moment and when she is matched with Innes Sibun on guitar and Anders Olinder (keys) she has musicians that actually stretch her and force her to work. The rhythm section of Kevin O’Rourke & Kevin Jeffries gave the front three a solid and passionate base to work from.
The set was similar to the performance I saw at The New Crawdaddy last year, opening with an explosive ‘I Ain’t Got No Money’ and straight into ‘Demolition Man’. Sari boogieing and taking total control of the stage. In her snakeskin jacket and leather pants she looks like the total ‘rock chick’ but with THAT voice and cascading black hair she is really the total Rockstar.
‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night’ was devastating. Lead Belly is most famous for it but Sari & The Engine Room take it to an emotional level very few can handle. The same with her version of Lead Belly’s ‘Black Betty’ which takes on a more plaintive and charged sound that has chills running down the back of the hardest heart – when she hits the last note and holds it she holds the whole audience not daring to breath.
In between they ripped the ass of of Zeppelin’s ‘Rock & Roll’ and featured some stunning guitar work from Innes on ‘Stormy Monday’ and ‘Oklahoma’ as well as Anders keyboards on ‘Aunt Hazel’.
Ash Wilson opened the show with a fine set from his new album; he looks like a guitarist really on the rise at the minute and coupled with Roger Innes on bass he will be going far.
All told, a brilliant night and yet more proof that Sari Schorr is one of the best artists on the boards at the moment.
Picture copyright to John Bull
