Live Review: PP Arnold

PP Arnold's tale is an extraordinary one yet, paradoxically, one that's all too common in the music industry. It was a striking revelation to see Arnold arrive in Australia for the first time. Nevertheless, the soul singer triumphed in front of a small crowd at Factory Theatre.

Arnold arrived on the Factory stage on the back of the release of her long-awaited album, The Turning Tide. The LP, released last year, was started by Arnold in 1968, produced by both Barry Gibb and Eric Clapton, and then locked in a vault somewhere by studio exec types. Tonight, the 71-year-old child of the revolution sang songs from this record along with the hits.

The crowd had to wait just a little bit longer for the soul singer to grace them with her presence, thanks to technical difficulties. 

Arnold's "D-list" band, according to You Am I frontman and tonight's guitarist Tim Rogers, kicked into gear with a smattering of soulful organ and a groovy riffs. Then Arnold arrived and Rogers declared it was officially "star time".

Arnold and band started the retrospective fittingly with the first song she ever recorded (with the Ike & Tina Turner Review). What'cha Gonna Do was a fun hark back to the golden age of soul. Arnold then paid homage to Tina Turner with River Deep - Mountain High. Her voice, though muddied by the Factory's acoustics, has stood the test of time. The red lights flashed as her voice thundered through the space.

Arnold and her music has seen a revival and found newfound appreciation. Her next song, Everything's Gonna Be Alright is, according to Arnold, "doing very well in the Northern soul classics". Arnold included tremendous variety, moving between fast-paced rocky tracks and slower ballads (like her timeless version of Chip Taylor classic, Angel Of The Morning).

It's no wonder Arnold's been labelled a bridge between soul and rock, blending heavy guitar with playful melodies and rocking drum beats. Arnold truly shone.