A TITANIC HOMECOMING: BROOKE COMBE LIVE AT THE BARROWLAND BALLROOM
Brooke Combe (Rebecca Kilpatrick/Northern Exposure)
LIVE REVIEW | BROOKE COMBE | BARROWLAND BALLROOM, GLASGOW
On Saturday night, we witnessed a homecoming like no other, with the sensational QUEEN of indie-soul right now – Brooke Combe – taking to the iconic Glasgow Barrowlands stage. The Dalkeith singer is more likely to be found galavanting around the North West of England these days, but it was evident that she was back where she belongs, and the warm welcome she received made it clear just how much she was missed.
Tonight’s show wraps up Brooke’s current UK tour celebrating the release of her debut album Dancing At The Edge Of The World which peaked at No.3 in the Official Scottish Album Chart back in February. Emerging caped in a Scotland flag, Brooke appears elated, her enthusiasm spilling out and engaging the crowd before the first note is even sung. The packed room don’t hold back in applause either, all ready for a sing-a-long and much necessary boogie.
‘This Town’ starts the party on a high with fans are singing along like gospel to every word. Brooke is fueled by the energy from the audience, giving the crowd back twice what they feed her. The depth of Brooke’s vocals are even richer live; so much warmth and emotion is captured in every breath that it’s like a smooth, rich sauce that’s enveloping the audience, leaving everyone craving more.
Piano led ‘Shaken By The Wind’ takes an entire new personality live, whilst ‘A-Game’ shines the spotlight on Brooke’s striking confidence, who owns the stage by this point. Whilst billed as a solo artist, Brooke Combe is a team effort tonight. Her band provides a strapping backbone to the entire show, taking it a step out of the shadows to perform as a collectively tight unit who lean on each other to deliver a performance worth remembering.
Dedicating ‘L.M.T.F.A’ (Leave Me The Fuck Alone) to her Step-Mum receives a few controversial “ooh’s and ahh’s” from the crowd, but the spirits were still high and the first cover of the evening ‘Summer Breeze’ was met with nothing short of harmonious joy. ‘Pieces’ was a personal highlight from the recent album so to hear it live was a special moment; a sentiment which felt echoed throughout the ballroom.
The encore was reserved for Brookes finest musical moments. Fan favourite ‘Are You With Me’ raised the roof, whilst her popular cover of Baccara’s ‘Yes Sir I can Boogie’ got the patriotic cheers rippling through the room. ‘The Last Time’ kept the euphoria pumping that little bit longer with a shared final boogie that dominated the wide Barrowlands space. Ending on album title track ‘Dancing At The Edge Of The World’ the track resonates deeply, reflecting the significance of what this show means to the Scottish singer.
Brooke Combe is an artist is on the brink of achieving even greater things. She resonates with alternative music fans who crave a deeper, more soulful sound, all while staying true to her alternative indie roots. Her biggest headline show in Glasgow this week is proof of her talent and diversity and one which you must catch when she next rocks your nearest town.
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