This year’s True North with smiles, energy and outstanding entertainment coming to the fore in a special celebration of Aretha Franklin – and a homecoming for Emeli Sande.
Previous True North curated concerts have celebrated the likes of Stevie Wonder and David Bowie in recent years.
2022 saw soul sisters come to the fore.
Aberdeenshire’s own musical powerhouse, Emeli Sandé, featured alongside Georgia Cécile in a night curated by Mica Paris which brought the gospel-style soul of Aretha Franklin to the Music Hall in Aberdeen.
Respect, Say A Little Prayer and many more Franklin favourites repeatedly brought the seated crowd to their feet.
A few extra original surprises worked a treat. But what was most compelling was the overarching feeling of joy that ran through the entire show.
Franklin may have passed four years ago, but her spirit visited the Music Hall last night.
Sandé shines on return to home soil
The last time Emeli Sande performed on the Music Hall stage was back in April 2012 in the midst of her rise to fame.
10 years later, the reception of the home crowd as Sandé walked out on stage could not have been warmer.
“My whole musical journey actually started right here performing with my primary school choir,” Sande told the crowd.
“It’s great to be back home,” she continued, which was almost met with as much jubilation as her musical performances.
Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) was Sande’s song of choice to celebrate Franklin.
She brought touches of her own style to the original’s laid-back grooves. But upon her return after the interval, Sande upped the ante.
Original touches
As the familiar piano loop from Next To Me began to play, smiles graced the crowd.
Many joined in with the infectiously catchy “woo-hoo” chorus line of Sande’s 2012 hit track, embracing the brief detour from Franklin’s back catalogue.
One of the highlights of the night followed with Sande’s gripping rendition of another of her tracks, Clown.
Only the piano player accompanied her on stage and her enchanting vocals brought on many a watery eye.
A duly deserved standing ovation followed – the crowd lapped up the rare glimpse of seeing one of their own superstars on home soil once again.
Franklin-style funk and soul
The high points of the night didn’t end here, however.
To have Mica Paris on the lineup for any concert bill, it’s likely that her presence will be one of the key takeaways of the night – this was most certainly the case.
Strutting onto the stage with knee-high leather boots and all-black clothing, the UK soul diva immediately stamped her authority on the night.
She conducted the band relentlessly, improvising ad lib sections and ensuring that every last drop of energy from her and her accompanying band was poured into every song.
Bringing gospel to Gilcomston
Gilcomston Church may only be a stone’s throw from the Music Hall, yet the place to be this Sunday to rejoice in the spirit of gospel music was unquestionably at the concert.
Having grown up around the church like Franklin, Paris was the perfect performer to pour her heart and soul into Franklin’s material.
She demanded the crowd to lift up from their seats as she cued in the band to play Think, one of Franklin’s most popular tracks which also featured in the film The Blues Brothers.
Hand claps and singalongs in the pews with Paris at the helm of the altar brought a palpable gospel feel to the night.
Later tracks such as Respect continued in a similar vein, aided superbly by Paris’ trio of backing vocalists, before funkier numbers plus a nod to her own 1988 track My One Temptation brought diversity to the tracklist.
Thrilling festival finale
But it was the finale to the evening which typified the joyful feel of the night.
The three singers joined together on stage to ring out a glorious version of Oh Happy Day, a song so close to Franklin’s gospel roots.
It was sensational. The ensuing cheer come its conclusion was one of the loudest the Music Hall will have heard in a long time.
An unquestionably a fitting ending to a celebration of one of the true greats, but also a thrilling finale to a stellar lineup at this year’s True North festival.
For more information on True North go to aberdeenperformingarts.com
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