Review: Bonnie Raitt, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Interspersing her rootsy songs with stories and anecdotes, the 63-year-old guitarist and singer played host to a Symphony Hall audience that hung on her every word.

Raitt, whose UK tour includes an appearance at the Isle Of Wight Festival, revealed that she had enjoyed the sights of Birmingham's canals during her city stop-over.

It's been seven years since her last album, Souls Alike, but with Slipstream garnering her a 10th Grammy award, it's been well worth the wait.

Armed with her trademark Fender Stratocaster, Raitt got straight down to business with the funky/blues drenched album opener Used to Rule the World, followed by her reggae version of Gerry Rafferty's Right Down the Line.

You can't fake authenticity and there's no doubt that Raitt is the real deal, the queen of Americana; that heady collision of blues, r 'n' b (the real, old-fashioned sort), soul and folk.

Half of the new album got an airing, along with a selection of hits, choice album tracks and personal favourites from throughout her four-decade career.

Raitt showcased her raw, earthy, soulful and utterly sensual voice and stellar bottleneck guitar skills, backed by a tight-as-they-come four-piece band that included an equally stunning contribution throughout from George Marinelli, with his angular, spiky guitar chops.

A sparsely beautiful Angel Of Montgomery was dedicated to Raitt's late mother, while I Can't Make You Love Me took on a new, looser arrangement and saw the singer thanking Adele for bringing the song to a whole new audience.

Nick Of Time took on a funky vibe with Raitt at the keyboard while Down To You, which she played on Later . . . With Jools Holland last week was dedicated to "Mick and Keith" and took an a suitably Stones-like swagger.

Clearly having a great time, Raitt revealed she had performed on stage with the Stones recently, joking: "I never feel old when I look at those guys!"

By Ian Harvey