Tag: Carole King

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Beautiful @ Lyric Theatre, Sydney – 10 December 2017

I was seeing musicals before I ever saw a concert. The music of Carole King has been a constant comfort in my life. So when I heard of the musical Beautiful’s creation, I was so hopeful it would eventually land on Australian shores. My parents saw it on Broadway and raved about it, and that only heightened my anticipation. But could it possibly live up to all that hype. For me it’s an emphatic yes.

The performance of Esther Hannaford as Carole is the lynchpin of this performance and she excels. Carole has such a unique way about her and Esther captures her voice and mannerisms without ever becoming a caricature. She’s supported beautifully by other key players: Josh Piterman as the troubled, complex love of her life Gerry Goffin, Amy Lehpamer as her vivacious and loyal friend and fellow songwriter of note Cynthia Weil, and Mat Verevis as Cynthia’s own songwriting partner and beau Barry Mann. While this isn’t Weil and Mann’s musical, as a fan of their music I was excited to learn a little more about the lives of the creators. The chorus of minor players was also exceptional. They brought us The Drifters, The Shirelles, Little Eva, and the songwriters of Don Kirshner’s Dimension Records in a such superb voice and retro fashion.

The music of the era, especially the songs of Carole King, both on her own and with Gerry Goffin, are key to Beautiful’s success. But the story is no afterthought. It’s told with heartbreak and humour drawing the viewer in and helping them understand more about these songs that are such a part of the upbringing of many of us. The players weren’t there just because they could sing and dance well, but also because they could bring the right emotional note to that story. It was a curious decision to refer to a “Nick” who encouraged Carole as she broke away from Gerry and resolved to start a new musical journey in California, when it so easily could have been James Taylor. But this was really my only quibble as I watched Carole transition from teenage Carole Klein to the Grammy-Award winning Carole King playing Carnegie Hall.

Beautiful is at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre until February 4. It will then travel to Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Beautiful: A Tribute to Carole King” – Various Artists

With the stage musical Beautiful opening in Sydney next month, it seems Australia is falling in love with Carole King all over again. Carole King covers were sung at the recent Helpmann Awards, and now we have the release of Beautiful: A Tribute to Carole King, featuring some of the best-known names in the Aussie music industry.

Covers albums like this are always a bit uneven. Invariably some performances shine brighter than others. Sometimes treatments are right on the money, and other times they can leave you just a little cold. However, when you’re working with the music of someone as talented as Carole, you’re already ahead of the game in my opinion.

This album probably has more standout performances than the average album of its type. It starts with Esther Hannaford’s performance of “Beautiful,” a track that reminds you exactly why she scored the coveted lead in the stage production. There’s an earthiness about her voice that’s so reminiscent of Carole’s own unique tone. It was only a few months ago that Vika Bull was performing the songs of Tapestry live, so it’s unsurprising that her versions of “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman” and “The Loco-Motion” (which also features her sister Linda), are first class. Dami Im, ever the consummate professional, delivers a knock-out blow with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” capturing the love and uncertainty in those lyrics beautifully. I haven’t heard much from Jack Jones and Stan Walker in recent years, but their versions of “No Easy Way Down” and “Way Over Yonder” respectively reminded me how much I’ve always loved what they do. Excellent.

Not every cut is a hit though. As I listened to Guy Sebastian’s version of “You’ve Got a Friend” I was reminded how much I enjoy James Taylor’s more introspective take. There’s just a little too much going on here for my taste. But keep in mind, I’m in the minority of people who prefer Carole King’s version of “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman” to Aretha Franklin’s. There’s no denying the man can sing. Ditto the boys from Human Nature, who are among the best male vocalists this country has produced. However, their take on “One Fine Day” takes the song’s already kitschy vibe to the extreme. It’s lost its heart somewhere in the treatment and it’s a real shame. “I Feel The Earth Move” just feels like the wrong song for Samantha Jade. I’m not sure what I would have given her, but with such strong instrumentation her delicate voice gets a little lost.

It’s not a perfect homage to Carole King, but there are some really special moments on Beautiful: A Tribute to Carole King. It also serves as a timely reminder just how good Carole’s music is.

Beautiful: A Tribute to Carole King is in stores now.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Carole King @ Entertainment Centre, Sydney – 14 February 2013

Over more than five decades in the business Carole King has penned more love songs that most. So it seemed fitting to spend Valentine’s Day in her company at the Sydney Entertainment Centre last week.

Shane Howard opened the show with an acoustic set of songs from his Goanna days and solo years. I shamefully admit that I wasn’t familiar with anything other than “Solid Rock,” but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of his intimate performance. In stripped back mode I could hear every word he sang and really immerse myself in the stories he told. I appreciated the way he introduced each and every song, telling us about the experiences he’s had and the moments that inspired these personal numbers. It was so refreshing to witness such an accomplished singer-songwriter performing with nothing more than an acoustic guitar. I loved the lack of bells and whistles.

The good honest music continued when Carole took to the stage. This was the third time that I’ve seen her perform live, and again I marvelled at the way that she seems to defy aging. Her distinctively raspy voice is every bit as powerful as it was the first time that I saw her. She takes it easy at the piano most of the time, but she seems to enjoy stepping out and shaking her booty with her talented back-up singers. Frankly, she seems to enjoy everything about being on stage. She must have performed many of these songs countless times over the years, but she shows none of the fatigue I’ve seen in some classic artists. Her smile is wide, warm, and genuine as she interacts with her band and hears the crowd singing along to old favourites.

My dad remarked that it’s a true testimony to Carole’s discography that whenever we see her live she pulls out a song we weren’t aware she’d written. Like Dad, I was more familiar with “Hey Girl” as a Michael McDonald track, so it was great to hear Carole’s spin on it. I also really enjoyed “City Streets.” The song passed me by in the 80s, but with Carole the lone performer on stage, at the piano and illuminated by a single spotlight, I was wowed. I love that I can see Carole tour after tour and hear different songs each and every time. However my favourites, like many others judging by the rapturous applause, were those songs from Tapestry. “So Far Away” made me misty, as it always reminds me of the time my husband and I spent living in different countries, and “I Feel The Earth Move” had us all dancing in our seats.

At around an hour and a half the set was a bit shorter than those I’m used to, but I can cut the 71-year-old Carole some slack. She might need to head to bed earlier than modern rockers, but she makes the most of every moment that she’s on stage. And that’s what keeps me coming back.

Image source: own photos

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Marcia Hines Does Carole King for 40th Anniversary

Marcia Hines is taking on the music of Carole King with her latest album, not so originally titled Marcia Sings Tapestry.

“Carole King’s Tapestry is an album that has been very integral in my life,” explained Marcia in a statement. “I love singing and these songs allow me to sing.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 14: Australian singer Marcia Hines performs at the 70's Disco International party held at the Equilibrium Hotel on July 14, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. The event is the first in a series of 24 parties held in over 24 cities over a 6-month period, re-living the music, colours and fashion of the 70's era. (Photo by Sergio Dionisio/Getty Images)


Like Marcia, and a great many other girls out there, I also hold Tapestry really close to my heart. I only hope she can do those beautiful songs justice. I’m nervous, as I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone cover those songs just right, but I’ll withhold my judgement until I take a listen.

The release of the album coincides with the 40th anniversary of Marcia’s foray into show business. Goodness isn’t she looking good for it! To celebrate it all, Marcia will perform two intimate shows: one at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on November 20 and the other at Sydney’s State Theatre on December 4. The first half of the concerts will be dedicated to four decades of Marcia Hines hits, while the second will bring the songs of Tapestry to the stage.

“It’s going to be two very different moods and that’s a beautiful thing,” Marcia said. “I love them both.”

I could say that ending a show on the songs of someone else probably isn’t the best way to celebrate your own career, but I love Marcia too much to be catty about it. Tickets for both shows go on sale on September 15, and the album will hit stores on October 1.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

James Taylor & Carole King @ Hope Estate, Hunter Valley – 3 April 2010

There are certain concerts you know will be great before you even take your seats. The pairing of Carole King and James Taylor, two of the greatest singer-songwriters in musical history, could never deliver anything but sublime entertainment. My expectations were high, but these two very special musicians didn’t disappoint.

Lior warmed up the crowd with his mellow acoustic folk-pop. He was a great match for the largely middle-aged crowd. I educated the older folks in my party about this “young whippersnapper” as we sipped verdehlo and enjoyed his cruisy tunes. I was already a fan, and I have a feeling he may have found some new ones after his subdued set.

But Carole and James were the main attraction. We clapped rapturously as the pair walked out on stage, arm in arm. The chemistry between these two performers is obvious. Their shared history meant they could easily play on one another’s songs for the shows entirety. We were treated to alternate songs from their back catalogue, hit after hit after hit. After so many decades in the business it’s clear that some songs couldn’t make the set list, but I wasn’t left wanting for anything after almost three hours of music.
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