A night of memories and reminiscences once again. This time I am in Whitley Bay Playhouse for another evening of music with none other than Elkie Brooks. As usual, I am going along to renew my acquaintance with a great performer who I last saw two years ago in Sunderland fire station. I have seen Elkie Brooks many times over the years. I first saw her when she was a member of the jazz/rock/blues fusion band Dada at Newcastle City Hall in 1971.
Dada were first on the bill below Yes and headliners Iron Butterfly. They were a large band (I think around 10 piece) with a brass section and Elkie singing as front person, alongside ultracool soul man Robert Palmer. I remember being very impressed by the overall power of the band and, in particular, by Elkie’s raucous blues/jazz vocals.
The next time I ran into Elkie was in the band Vinegar Joe. She had become the wild, gypsy front person, again alongside Robert Palmer on vocals. I was lucky enough to see Vinegar Joe several times during the early 70s at the Lincoln Festival, the Reading Festival, and local venues including (I think) Sunderland Locarno, Newcastle Mayfair and most notably supporting the legendary Free at Sunderland Top Rank. Vinegar Joe were quite a while raucous rock/blues band, and we all sat in awe of the force of nature that was Elkie. “They were an electrifying live act and quickly became a staple of the UK’s then-thriving university circuit.” (Louder than sound).
The next time I saw Elkie was headlining as a solo artist at Sunderland Empire Theatre. This was in the late 70s, and Elkie had become more of a middle of the road (and very successful) rhythm and blues singer hitting the charts with “Pearl’s a Singer”, “Sunshine after the Rain” and many other successful singles.
I didn’t see her for many years until a couple of years ago at Sunderland Fire Station. Similarly to that performance there is no support act, Elkie chooses to perform the entire show herself with a short interval separating two sets which blend her chart hits with jazz and blues classics.
The Playhouse advertised the concert thus: Having started her career in music in 1960, a remarkable 64 years of performing live, Elkie Brooks will embark upon her ‘Long Farewell Tour’.” So, is this really the end of Elkie Brooks performing on stage? The lady is 79 years old, after all, and I’m sure she has earned her retirement.
The night promises to be “A celebration of Elkie’s illustrious award-winning career in music performing some of her biggest hits including Pearl’s A Singer, Lilac Wine, Fool (If You think It’s Over) Don’t Cry Out Loud, Blues, Rock, Jazz & material from her eagerly anticipated new album. Joined of course by her incredible band. An exceptional performer with an unmistakable voice which has earned her the title of ‘British Queen Of Blues’. Elkie never fails to captivate her audience.” And we are reminded “Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to see a truly remarkable artiste on her ‘Long Farewell Tour’.” And after all she is ‘STILL ONE OF THE GREAT, BRITISH VOICES’ The Guardian.
Her voice has not lost any power, and the lady once again demonstrates how she is one of the UK’s greatest singers. She opens the show with a wonderful cover of Rod Stewart’s “Gasoline Alley”, and we are soon into the hits with “Fool (If You Think It’s over)”, “The Sunshine After the Rain”, “Lilac Wine” and “Pearl’s a Singer”. In between these classics, Elkie also belts out some tremendous covers including Screaming Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You” (magical), the Moody Blues’ lovely “Nights in White Satin”, “I’m Tore Down”, the great blues/rock classic covered by many including Eric Clapton, and Hendrix’s “Redhouse”.
The encore features a fantastic cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain”. By the end everyone is up on their feet, lots of dancing, and a standing ovation for Elkie, which is well deserved. A great night full of many memories. Happy days. Will this really be the end of touring for Elkie? It is, after all, billed as “the Long Farewell” so maybe there will be another chance for me to see her again. I hope so.
Thanks to Jackie for the photographs and Atalanta for manipulating the site. I treated myself to a signed programme from a past tour (see below).
Setlist: (something like) Gasoline Alle
y; Do Right Woman, Do Right Man; Warm and Tender Love; Fool (If You Think It’s Over); The Sunshine After the Rain; Don’t Cry Out Loud; Make You Feel My Love; I Put a Spell on You; Nights in White Satin; Lilac Wine; Red House; Pearl’s a Singer; I’m Tore Down; You Got Me Where You Want Me. Down
Encore: Long John Blues; Purple Rain; We’ve Got Tonight.
A night of memories and reminiscences once again. This time I am in the lovely new local venue the Sunderland Fire Station for an evening of music with none other than 
Dada were first on the bill below Yes and headliners Iron Butterfly. I decided to treat myself to a copy of their album (see image) to remind myself of their music. They were a large band (I think around 10 piece) with a brass section and Elkie singing as front person, alongside ultracool soul man Robert Palmer.I remember being very impressed by the overall power of the band and, in particular, by Elkie’s raucous blues/jazz vocals. I was very much a young gig goer of 14 and sat in awe, by myself, feeling I was part of a big adventurous journey into the realm and world of live music which was just beginning.
The next time I ran into Elkie was in the band Vinegar Joe. She had become the wild, gypsy front person, again alongside Robert Palmer on vocals and her husband of the time Peter Gage on guitar (that is him, standing to the right of Elkie on the front cover of the album. Pretty cool guy, with great long hair and who played some wonderful slide guitar, as I recall). I was lucky enough to see Vinegar Joe several times during the early 70s at the Lincoln Festival, the Reading Festival, and local venues including (I think) Sunderland Locarno, Newcastle Mayfair and most notably supporting the legendary Free at Sunderland Top Rank. Vinegar Joe were quite a while raucous rock/blues band and we all sat in awe of the force of nature that was Elkie. Again, I bought a copy of one of their albums to remind myself of these Rock ‘n’ Roll Gypsies and their music. “They were an electrifying live act and quickly became a staple of the UK’s then-thriving university circuit.” (
The next time I saw Elkie was headlining as a solo artist at Sunderland Empire Theatre. This was in the late 70s and Elkie had become more of a middle of the road (and very successful) rhythm and blues singer hitting the charts with “Pearl’s a Singer”, “Sunshine after the Rain” and many other successful singles.
This is also another night of renewing friendships, through something of a coincidence. I was just telling my carer for the evening Jackie about when I saw Elkie in Vinegar Joe supporting Free at the aforementioned concert when along comes an old friend Paul, who I have not seen for many years and says “Do you remember seeing her in Vinegar Joe at the Rink? ” We chat about that great concert and how wonderful she was “back in the day”. Great to see him again.
Both sections of the show are impressive in their own way. The mix of classic soulful chart hits and raucous blues is fantastic. Elkie still has a very powerful voice. Although I can’t recall the entire set list, I do remember thinking how many hits she has had, some of which I had forgotten, such as “Don’t Cry out Loud “and “Lilac Wine”. During the first half she also does an excellent version of the Rod Stewart classic “Gasoline Alley”.
The second half of the concert comprises more hits including the Chris Rea song “Fool If You Think It’s Over” but, rather than finishing with her massive chart success “Pearl’s a Singer” she chooses to give us a great rendition of this song halfway through the second set. She closes the evening with a series of blues classics, belting them out in a powerful voice and showing what her true roots are. By the end everyone is up on their feet, lots of dancing, and a standing ovation for Elkie, which is well deserved. A great night full of many memories. Happy days.
I have good memories of Elkie Brooks gigs during the period 1971, when I first saw here in DaDa, through Vinegar Joe, to the last time I saw here as a solo artist in 1978. The first time I saw Elkie she was in a band called DaDa, and was first on an Age of Atlantic package tour with Yes and Iron Butterfly. The concert was at Newcastle City Hall, and it was the first time I went to a gig at that venue. DaDa featured her husband Pete Gage, and her singing partner Robert Palmer and were a jazz-rock fusion band with lots of members and a brass section. 
Those three soon left DaDa to form Vinegar Joe, who I saw at Sunderland Top Rank (supporting Free; thanks for the reminder John), Sunderland Locarno, Reading Festival, Lincoln Festival and Newcastle Mayfair (on a bill with Chicken Shack if my memory is correct; which it may well not be…). 
Vinegar Joe were a class R&B act, and Elkie was tremendous vocally and in terms of her stage act. She was truly a wild woman of rock in those days, with swirling skirts and crazy dancing. By 1975 Elkiehad had gone solo and soon had chart success with Pearl’s a Singer and other singles. By the time I saw her again at Sunderland Empire, she was selling out concert halls across the country. By this point she was becoming a little middle of the road; however her live show was still great. I haven’t been to an Elkie Brooks concert since those days, and keep meaning to do so. She still tours and has become a national treasure. Writing this convinces me that I need to go and see her again soon. Thanks to John for mailing me the scan of the Vinegar Joe poster, which must have come from a Manchester University gig in the early 70s.
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