Back To Black ~ The Music Of Amy Winehouse: Over The Reine Beau ~ Adelaide Fringe 2020 Review  

[MUSIC/Cabaret ~ UK] Empire Theatre at Gluttony, Tue 3 Mar. The long queue outside waiting eagerly to hear and see Back To Black: The Music Of Amy Winehouse is a testament to the longevity of Amy’s music. With only two studio albums, she became a diva of a different kind, someone who marched to the beat of her own drum, awarded for it and someone who ultimately paid the price for the life she led. With titbits of information about Amy’s life throwing into this evening’s performance, we learnt that sadly, Amy did not receive the advice from Tony Bennett who had wanted to say to her to “Slow down, let life teach you how to live it,”. Instead Amy lived her whole life in just 27 years, but her music and lyrics live on. From the moment the music began in this show, it was obvious that the musicians were up to the challenge of re-creating the sound from Amy’s Frank and Back To Black albums and would have made it easy for Reine Beau Anderson Dudley to enjoy herself, not imitating but performing beautifully and soulfully these songs in the style that Amy herself would have sung. Reine spoke of her admiration for Amy’s ability to just ‘say it like it is’ and be herself, and the respect that Reine had for Amy was obvious, from quiet, soulful ballads where the lights were brought down to match the tone of Amy’s lyrics to obvious crowd favourites added to the set list. This 5-piece band – singer, piano, guitar, bass and drums – were able to replicate the stylings of Amy Winehouse and allow the audience the opportunity of knowing what it might have been like to hear the lady herself perform. By the end of the 50 minute set, all members of this show let loose along with the clapping and singing crowd, some of who were on their feet. It is unfortunate that the names of the gentlemen of the band were lost during the last song of the performance. They needed to have a mention of their own as they were just THAT good too. 4 stars Charissa McCluskey-Garcia Back To Black: The Music Of Amy Winehouse continues at Empire at Gluttony from 6.10pm until Sun 15 Mar. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. #ADLfringe #Gluttony2020 #KMPR Presented by Night Owl Shows