Joan Armatrading

I went to see Joan at the Stables Milton Keynes with me Julie and my friend Hotpot.
What a fantastic gig. The venue is superb, apparently designed by Cleo and John Dankworth, so the acoustics were brilliant. It's set in countryside and some people were having a picnic in the grounds. We decided there wasn't a bad seat in the house. It is reasonably small, around 200 seats so perfect for me as I don't like big places.
Joan was fabulous, I'd never seen her live only on the telly at Glasto and other programmes. I was really moved during the whole performance, It was so moving to see the songs I had been singing for years performed less than 30 feet away. She started with Show some Emotion, mixed it up with a few songs from her new album Starlight, she did all the classics.. Me Myself I, I Love it When you Call me Names, All the way from America,
Love and Affection, where the drummer got up and played a beautiful Sax solo. Bloody marvellous, I thought I was the only one with a tear in my eye, turns out me Julie and Hotpot were equally affected. She finished off with Drop the Pilot, Willow (after being persuaded by the audience to play it) and another track from Starlight.
I shouted for Rosie but was told by her 'Don't you start',  Turned out she was signing CDs and whatever you  wanted (within reason) in the foyer afterwards. I asked why no Rosie and it just wasn't in the set list for this tour, so I guess I'll have to go again next tour. I highly recommend anyone thinking twice about going, to go, This tour appears to be smaller venues which is better in my view. I was pleasantly surprised that she was speaking to the audience, some artists just chat shit let's be honest, but she was very entertaining, she didn't have much choice at one point when she strummed her guitar and she thought it was out of tune, so promptly took it off stage to her guitar tech girly to sort out, proclaiming 'I obviously don't know how to tune a guitar'.
She admitted she had been presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award the previous night in Uttoxeter, not for guitar tuning then Joan. Well deserved that is too. As she said it is a bit worrying, do people think you're getting near death, so better give her an award while we can. So good one Joanie, what a lovely lady, see you next year unless it's the O2 or Wembers. I would have posted a picture but there is a no photographs policy at the venue, which I think it pants, I was thinking of flouting it but didn't want to get thrown out!