This is a new era of Paloma Faith, unapologetic, empowered, and as entertaining as ever.
The British superstar’s The Glorification of Sadness Tour called at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall last night (March 5) for a two set show filled with her powerful anthems.
This Paloma is in her “selfish” era, she’s her own support act and she chronicles her own story of heartbreak, divorce and empowerment how she wants to.
The first set opens with the empowering chant “there’s nothing more human than failure”, as Paloma appears from the shadows, ready to both bare her heart and bring the party.
Donned in leather and a glittering Iron Maiden band tee she embodied the spirit of her sixth album The Glorification of Sadness, in which she professes she’s not a “good girl”, she’s a “bad woman”.
Each song has a new level of rawness and honesty, a step up from the glamorous and thrilling breakups of youth which have been explored in the singer-songwriter’s previous albums, and with Paloma’s powerhouse vocals and the sound of her talented band (guitarist Fred Cox, bass guitarist Andrea Goldsworthy, drummer Naomi Forbes, Peter Daley on keys, and backing vocalists Janelle Martin and NYM) echoing in your ears you can’t help but hang on to every word.
At its core this set felt like a real sisterhood for women — who feel they’ve had to be meek and mild, who have put their own desires on hold for others, and who have loved and lost — and ever the chatterbox on stage, Paloma spoke of the perimenopause, hormones, motherhood and the difficulty of a breakup which involves children.
Despite the feminine themes which are key to a somewhat autobiographical account of a woman’s life, Paloma’s talent didn’t fail to attract hordes of men to the show too. In fact, her music seems to transcend fickle things like age and gender, with a wonderfully varied audience up on their feet and singing along.
She’s among the pool of artists who are actually even better live, as her energy and emotion bursts from the stage in the way a recording can’t quite replicate.
After a short interval Paloma was back for a second set — because two is a good number for women, she jokes — singing some of her best known and loved tracks from her previous albums including her first release Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful and the momentous A Perfect Contradiction.
It’s a real celebration of her musical journey and what she confesses is her longest relationship aside from with her mother, the 15 years spent with her fans.
There’s also some rather hilarious merch on sale, which complements Paloma’s unapologetic attitude and sense of humour.
The Glorification of Sadness Tour continues at venues across the country, ending on June 22 with a performance at Lincoln Castle.
