As summer fades into autumn, we can turn to the sweet sounds of soul music to keep us warm. Here are our picks of the most exciting soul concerts this September and October.
Beverley Knight @ Royal Albert Hall – 23 September [Tickets]
The UK’s reigning Queen of Soul is set to make a long-overdue return to the Royal Albert Hall this month, following on from last year’s sell-out 50 tour (marking both her fiftieth birthday and thirty years of music-making). Read my interview with Beverley Knight for Rolling Stone UK here.
The Three Degrees @ PizzaExpress Live (Holborn) – 15-16 September [TICKETS]
The current line-up of The Three Degrees – Valerie Holiday, Freddie Pool & Tabitha King – will make an appearance at the lovely PizzaExpress Live as part of the group’s 60th anniversary tour. The legendary group spawned iconic ‘Philly Soul’ hits including ‘TSOP’, ‘When Will I See You Again’, and ‘Woman in Love’.
Thee Sacred Souls @ Jazz Cafe – 19 September [TICKETS]
I’m pretty sure The House That Soul Built was one of the first publications to run a review of Thee Sacred Soul’s divine ‘Can I Call You Rose?’, long before the song belatedly blew up on TikTok. The group (pictured) will be stopping by the Jazz Cafe as part of their European tour.
Touching Bass presents: Lynda Dawn @ Barbican Milton Court – 4 October [TICKETS]
An emergent talent championed by the likes of Patrice Rushen and Jimmy Jam, Lynda Dawn brings her 80’s-inspired soulful grooves to Milton Court, ahead of the release of her sophomore album 11th Hour. She will be supported by keyboardist and singer-songwriter MADELEINE.
Sweet Honey in the Rock @ Barbican Hall – 14 October [TICKETS]
African-American vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock – known for their diverse repertoire of gospel, blues, folk, and spoken word – will headline the Barbican Hall to mark their 50th anniversary.
The Sounds of Philadelphia @ Royal Albert Hall – 19 October [TICKETS]
Sir Lenny Henry and the BBC Concert Orchestra celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of MFSB & the Three Degrees’ iconic track ‘TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)’ with a night of ‘Philly Soul’. The evening will dig into the rich, sumptuous, beautifully orchestrated catalogue of Philadelphia International Records, spanning the likes of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Patti LaBelle and the O’Jays.
