Bethlehem, Pennsylvania--The hulking rotting remains of Bethlehem Steel is lit up like an art deco sculpture to provide a stunning monolithic background at the MusikFest Café at Steel Stacks, where singer/songwriter/pianist/guitarist Beth Hart is in the process of totally blowing away the room, raising the roof with the kind of hard rock that not too many in the sold-out crowd expected.
She's a blues singer, right? Wait, she's a soul singer, no? Ever since Beth Hart tore the house down at the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors on national television (see imbedded video) singing "I'd Rather Go Blind" with Jeff Beck in front of the President, First Lady, honoree Buddy Guy, honorees Led Zeppelin (minus their dead drummer) and a litany of famous names, captured by CBS-TV's cameras as being in total and abject awe of this woman's life-changing performance, she's been on a roll. This is what she does. She tears down the house at every show. Her two incredibly good blues albums with Joe Bonamassa (Don't Explain and See Saw) are just the tip of a gargantuan iceberg of talent. Her last two solo albums (Bang Bang Boom Boom and the current Better Than Home) show her at the peak of her powers, combining aspects of Janis Joplin, Natalie Cole, Bonnie Raitt, Bessie Smith and her most obvious influence, Etta James. Beth Hart is Etta James and she carries Etta's flair for drama, a personal story worth turning into a Hollywood movie, and a penchant for the kind of onstage theatrics that drives crowds wild. She was born to be on a stage.
This was true rock'n'roll. This was the kind rock'n'roll that delves into danger because she was getting so wild and provocative, one had to wonder if she was on her meds. Thus, her personal story gives more credence to her rock'n'roll. She ain't kidding. And only time will tell if she will ultimately be one of the greats. I'm rooting for her.
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