Antwerp - Take it from me: Axelle Red had the hall eating out of the palm of her hand last Saturday evening in the Sportpaleis. If The Soul Of Axelle Red was a homage to the soul music she grew up with as a child, then in reality there was only one star on the Antwerp stage that night: herself.

There are only two The Soul of Axelle Red concerts scheduled, the first was last Saturday in Antwerp, the second two days later on Monday in the Palais des Congrés in Paris. 10,000 punters meant the Antwerp gig was sold out, which led to utter chaos around 8 o'clock that evening on the Antwerp Ring.

The biggest name on the bill, Wilson Pickett, was in fact the supporting act. This was because his arrogance made him feel too good to be part of the soul revival second half. "Don't tell anyone", said one of the organisers, "but it's always the same with the black artists from America. You can bet that whatever agreements are made beforehand, once they're here, they won't keep to them and want to change everything". In fact playing the support was about all Wilson Pickett was good for. His opener In the Midnight Hour was all right, but for the rest of the set, instead of knocking us flat with Mustang Sally and Land of a 1000 Dances, he was but a vague memory of what he used to be. It was painful to see and hear, and the audience reacted likewise. "Let me see your hands", Pickett cried... and saw nothing.

A quarter of an hour later it was time for the real show to begin. Axelle Red took charge of the presentation, told us she was terribly nervous and apologised for Isaac Hayes' no-show. Carla Thomas didn't make it either. Hayes' band made up the core of the superb orchestra, led by arranger-pianist Lester Snell, and was complemented by a few Booker T musicians and a Belgian string section. Axelle had worked with the American musicians on her latest album in Memphis.

Blind
Of the soul greats of yesteryear, it was Ann Peebles with I can't stand the rain who left the most lasting impression. Not to be outdone were Sam Moore, ex-Sam & Dave (Soul man), and Eddie Floyd (Knock on Wood). Clarence Carter (Slip Away) was rather static, but it should be remembered that he's blind. Percy Sledge (When a man loves a woman) remains a legend, even if he can't reach the high registers any more.

Axelle's duets with her guests gave the show an extra dimension. Especially memorable were Never found a girl with Eddie Floyd and Soul Sister Brown Sugar with Sam Moore. But the real high point of the show was Axelle Red herself, with numbers like Carwash, Who is she and what is she to you, and especially Dechame ser mucher (the Spanish version of Rester femme), accompanying herself on piano with just strings.

Otis Redding's Sittin' on the dock of the bay brought the show to a close, with all the artists on stage and earning a deserved standing ovation. Backstage the six month pregnant Axelle was at the end of her tether. "I'm very pleased with the way it went tonight, I feel great, but I'm completely shattered", she sighed. "But all's well that ends well".
Gazet van Antwerpen — 16/11/98