Julie Felix

Thursday 25th February @ 7.30pm

Julie’s career spans many years and much can be said about her.. This is an excerpt from a review of her concert at Kidderminster in November 2009

Fans of 1960s folk legend Julie Felix gathered in Kidderminster for the penultimate date of her Highway of Diamonds tour and were rewarded with an evening of warmth, humour, integrity and, above all, superb singing.

Though the songs themselves can make or break a set, of equal importance is the performer’s relationship with the crowd. Julie had a faultless camaraderie with her audience, and the modest and gently self-deprecating way in which she connected each song with a story, anecdote or general reflection on the strengths and follies of humankind proved to be her greatest strength. As the show progressed, we were treated to her thoughts on everything from President Obama and the problems of religious intolerance to how she met both Sir David Frost – arguably the man who made her famous – and Leonard Cohen, the young Canadian poet-turned-songwriter whose path crossed with Julie’s several times in their respective careers. Told with a winning charm, Julie’s fascinating insights into her musical career had the audience on her side from the outset.

Physically, Julie’s performance was incredible. Though 71, she has more energy than most people half her age, and showed no sign of letting her maturity slow her down. Admitting that she might have taken herself a little too seriously in her late 1960s heyday, Julie came across as relaxed and comfortable with herself and her music – even joking with the audience that she usually gets requests for songs by Joan Baez, the American folk artist with whom she is often compared. Thankfully, no one made that mistake on this occasion!

After the show, Julie met with fans for autographs and general friendly chat, equally happy talking to her longstanding followers and those who, like me, were seeing her perform for the first time. With my signed album in hand, I left the theatre considering myself privileged to have met such a remarkable lady and seen her perform the material that clearly means so much to her. Here’s hoping she has many more years of creativity left.

(Review by Ian Snow)