#Review: Woman to Woman, Liverpool Philharmonic

Julia Fordham, Beverley Craven and Judie Tzuke along with their special guest, Rumer played to a packed out crowd at Liverpool’s acoustically perfect, Philharmonic Hall on a miserably cold and rainy Monday evening.

The temperature in the auditorium rose considerably when the ladies, on the aptly titled Woman To Women Tour, harmonised to perfection; each taking the lead on their own songs whilst the others acted as backing vocalists. 

The stalwarts of the music industry took turns in introducing their songs and their inspirations behind them to an excited, intrigued yet admittedly, senior audience.  The average age must easily have been late 60s.

This was an easy listening concert, nothing too high pitched, load or shouty. It felt like a Sunday morning hangover type of vibe, where you simply want to chill, not exert yourself and just eat!  

The ladies clearly know their audience demographics well. Whilst the audience clapped and in some places whooped at the end of the tracks it wasn’t until the end when the ladies invited everyone to ‘stand and sway’ did the audience display any energy. 

Julia is known all over the world to older fans for her stunningly rich contralto voice. It was lovely to hear her sing her most famous tracks whilst the graphics behind her displayed live performances of some of her most recognised work including Lock & Key, Girlfriend and Tower block plus, her biggest UK hit with (Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways from the Demi Moore movie The Butcher’s Wife. She did comment that it was highly disconcerting to have images from thirty five years ago displayed to the audience enabling us to easily compare how she looks now.  In her prime, she was a stunningly attractive woman.

Beverley Craven was hilariously funny, told many  anecdotes and let us into a number of family secrets. Notably, how her middle and youngest daughters are not happy that she wrote and recorded not one but two songs about her eldest daughter Mollie. Apparently, they haven’t forgiven her for this and have no intentions of! Fans were delighted to hear: Memories, Holding On, Woman To Woman, Love Scenes and her monster million selling hit… Promise Me. 

Judie Tzuke presented as a down to earth, generally lovely and unassuming artist. She also added humour to her chats with the audience. She was very self-deprecating, admitting she gets exceptionally nervous and always has to have the lyrics to her own songs displayed in front of her.  On Monday she used a music stand, which she happily showed the smiling audience her enlarged text.  She went on to say that when you get to a certain age, it’s not just your memory that fails but now it’s her eyesight.  The audience laughed as clearly they could identify with that.

Judie received a rapturous applause following her performance of her stunning hit singles Stay With Me Till Dawn, and Ladies Night. Sady, there wasn’t enough time for her to perform For You, Bring The Rain, Sportscar, Black Furs and I’ll Be The One.  

Rumer’s voice was classically contemporary enabling her to compliment the other three performers.  She also played played a medley of her hits to a delighted audience only leaving the stage when the three ladies performed their new single Humankind and explained about support for Greenpeace.

Despite being relatively sedate, this was a thoroughly enjoyable concert!