Maria McKee, Show Me Heaven, Hebden Bridge, 4 July 2008

[marcevans440]

It is probably worth noting that the venue was a room on one side of the bar where Maria played and a room on the other side of the bar which punters were still using as the Friday night gathering at the Trades Club. It was not a disrespectful audience; just a very low key venue.

[airager]

Superb!

[Exthulla]

That this wonderful, wonderful singer has made it through all the dross that is the music business, with her spirit and talent fully intact is so cheering. I would love to have seen this performance live. She is the truest (and rarest) type of star - a genuine artist.

[nemo1588]

@Exthulla nice comment - she's a great talent and I think anyone who appreciates a true professional giving it her everything will like this. My only regret is that, as others here have noted, the incessant, disrespectful, background chatter spoils somewhat an otherwise impeccable performance.

[simon7780]

Just to clarify.....my negative comments were certainly not aimed at Marias performance, I thought she was excellent. However, the people who view themselves as Hebdens vibrant community have ruined this perfromance by talking, shouting, and generally behaving as if an artist is not performing (as is audible on the recording). I am from Hebden and I am a lover of a wide variety of music, particularly singer/songwriters.

[PauloCCRibeiro]

I Love this song

[cogg1]

I saw Maria at B'ham Glee club in 2007 and after being a fan sine her early days it was incredible to se her live for the first time.I had tears in my eyes at least 3 times in the show. I so nearly went to Hebden but in the end was put off by distance as I had a long week traveling at work. I regret that and would travel the earth to see her again a she is the best singer on the planet ...

[marcevans440]

I took a day off work to travel from Portsmouth to London, to Leeds, to Hebden Bridge. I thought I had travelled far but was amazed when I heard people had travelled from Belguim that day! I promised myself that having had to leave her 2005 Scala gig early just to catch a train that I would not make the same mistake again - I am so glad I went to HB. I am hoping that she will do some shows while she is tutoring at the Arvon Foundation's Totleigh Barton Centre in Devon this August.

[Karina2079]

This is beautiful, I LOVE this song. I'd quite like to see her live now.

[nombreelejido]

this girl is amazing !!!!and yes, I agree she sounds the same as 20 years ago, pitty, ill never have the chance to see her live, but I love her

[cloudtcj]

Unbelievable...she sounds just as good as she did 20 years ago when she opened for U2.

[patrickthomas2007]

re Simon7780s comment

I don't think Simon is criticising Maria's performance. He notes that Maria is wearing clothing that is sort of "Hippie" in style

Hebden Bridge is known as a Hippie area.

"Chuntering" is like thoughtless chatter.

The rest, Simon's take on the lack of consideration of attendees who he sees as being from Hebden area and who talked loudly throughout her set and who should be ashamed of themselves.

I agree that there was lot of thoughtless chatter during her performance

[MosaicMaiden]

Beeeeautiful! nothing like a live performance.

Great to hear the old pipes are still as good!

Thank you!

[Devvo22]

This is awesome!

Thanks for sharing

[roseller77]

she has still the voice...and the face!..thanx for the vid.

[restlessrecording]

Man, I wish I could have been there! My wife use to see Lone Justice all the time when they were first starting out in L.A.

[simon7780]

See she's in Hebden attire! A great performance ruined by the chuntering soilies-hang your spliffs in shame you rug munching, tree hugging inbreds.

[marcevans440]

Simon - What on earth are you talking about?

[lakedavid]

@marcevans440

he;s talking about the ignorant people talking whilst she's having her moment. Ignorant fuckers!!! REsPeCt!

[Crazyben1969]

Is that even English???

[lightdarkens]

Hey Ben, Yes it's English, for once I'll be able to translate for you.

[Crazyben1969]

Hey Simon, well I'd like that translation all right ;-)... you see, I'm French speaking and consider my English rather good, but your sentence there, I did not understand it at all...LOL

[Crazyben1969]

I meant Andrea of course, yes please translate. Is it positive or negative?

[marcevans440]

My reading of Simon's message was far from complimentary and wholly out of line with the other comments about her appearance at such a small event and how spell binding her performance was. I 'suspect' Simon is neither a fan or a music lover! I can't wait for another chance to see Maria live; my wife has said that she will be with me next time having seen her in London in 2005 but missing Hebden Bridge.

[patrickthomas2007]

I was there on the night and she was absolutely fantastic, a warm and funny person with a tremendous stage presence.

Performing in an intimate atmosphere to a small audience of 150-200 people at the Trades Club, as part of the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, she had the audience spellbound.

There were some problems with Maria's mic and sound which the resident sound crew were unable to fix and I was astounded to see that glasses were still being collected from the audience as she performed.

[marcevans440]

Someone told me on the night that there were only 120 tickets for sale!

[Crazyben1969]

She was sold out! I can tell you that. I was to be accompanied by to extra's who cancelled at the last minute and asked them to sell them for me as the show was about to begin. And after the show they came and gave me the refund. Fully booked that concert, I'll tell you that.

[mmckee7]

There is absolutely no one like her. Brings tears to my eyes to see and hear her performing this song again live. Thanks Maria.

[abaxteria]

Damn! Thanks, marcevans!

[robtho1]

very nice. she still has the chops! thanks very much for posting.