Live Review: Helen Reddy

16 April 2014 | 1:47 pm | Liz Giuffre

Helen in her 70s is still a force to be reckoned with.

Seeing a performer in their 70s who isn't a Rolling Stone or jazz instrumentalist is rare. Seeing a female lyricist and activist like Helen Reddy is akin to seeing a unicorn up close. Way before Kylie adopted a faux English twang Reddy took on American vowels, and well before Sia started working with the best in the writing biz, Reddy was singing, writing and collaborating to just make the best product.

Now a grandmother, Reddy still plays the game – right down to wearing appropriate black, making self-deprecating jokes about her memory and doing a bit of knee-slapping schtick during the odd country tune. What remains unquestionable is the quality of her voice – clear, strong, distinct – and the generosity with which she shared the songs. Stories between each were functional, granted (a chance for the band to reset, for a quick towel off), but also told of a time now gone in the biz – songwriters acknowledged rather than hidden away in liner notes, and Reddy used several chances to simply show her appreciation for those whose work helped her develop. Paul Williams, Don MacLean and her contemporary OzAmerican breakthrough Peter Allen all were given the gratitude that didn't necessarily have to be paid, but showed a generosity from Reddy that many younger performers still struggle to obtain.

Some of the details were a little hazy but the odd muddled line certainly didn't stop the show – if such muck-ups are good enough for David Bowie (who now sings with a teleprompter) then our Helen can be forgiven. Best of all was just the delivery – from Bluebird, Delta Dawn, You And Me Against The World, Angie Baby and Leave Me Alone – there was a power, and those who bought their tickets solely for I Am Woman were not only satisfied in a continued conviction, but also in getting it performed twice (first spoken, then sung). Sure, Reddy's style is of a particular period and context, and the temptation is to superglue her there and compare her against a 40-years-younger self. But that does the aging artist a disservice – Helen in her 70s is still a force to be reckoned with.