Jeff Beck brings rock swagger to Chelsea

 

Some concerts drag you through arduous hell in order to savour the music, but not the Live At Chelsea concert series. Think Greenwich Music Team but poshed up a notch and even more comfortable; a gold statue of Charles II is even standing and watching the music. The lawn outside the music enclosure is so vast and so "prawn sandwich" that you wouldn't know there's a gig going on - were Jeff Beck not so flippin' loud. The concert is so Chelsea that even the Chelsea Pensioners are stewards! They are a joy, interacting with the audience and happy to pose for photos - they contributed to a nice event.

 

 

Imelda May, going through a Radio 2 rebrand versus her rockabilly roots, is supporting. She's too big to support most acts, were it not for Jeff Beck being arguably the greatest guitarist of all time. He's so legendary that you can spot Jimmy Page, Aerosmith's Joe Perry and Johnny Depp watching from the wings. Shame that none of them guested; you'd have bet your house that he'd bring on Imelda at least. Anyway, Imelda belts out some truly soulful numbers with raw, earnest passion and intense delivery - most are from her newest album Life Love Flesh Blood, though she finds time to fit in her recent staple cover of The Animals' I'm Crying. She certainly woke up a very tranquil Chelsea, and the crowd were screaming for more at the end.

 

Onto swaggering Jeff Beck, true rock aura, drawing the many guitar fans to their feet, only to be firmly told to "sit back down" by the jobsworth stewards who seemed intent on treating this rock and roll show like a Chelsea Flower show. Standing up even at the sides, where no one's view was blocked, didn't suffice the members of staff so lacking in pragmatism - they were the only downside of a very pleasant evening. Beck covered a wide range of standards, from the Beatles' Day In The Life to Stevie Wonder's Superstition - backed by touring vocalist Jimmy Hall. With vocals or not, Jeff Beck was loud and seismic in Chelsea - and still doing amazingly well considering he turns 74 next week!