Joanne Shaw Taylor/Connor Selby - Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Sunday 25th January 2026
Live review by Iain McArthur • 27 January 2026
This was Joanne’s first gig of the year and it was a pleasure to welcome her to Edinburgh at the start of a short run of dates on a ‘provincial’ tour. The Queen’s Hall was decked out in fairly simple fashion, with the floor seated, a minimal stage set-up and plain curtains at the back, which definitely did not match the on-stage carpet on which Joanne played. There was plenty of space for the four-piece band backing the main lady herself, who was dressed in a fabulous flared trouser suit for the occasion. Ironically, had she been “home” in Nashville, she might have needed a woolly jumper, as I believe it has been snowing there this week – a highly unusual event.
Since Joanne last played here three years ago, she has released two full-length albums, so there was plenty of recent goodness to share, including ‘Hell of a Good Time’ early in the set. As ever, Joanne’s smoky vocals were as much of a feature as her incredible guitar skills, and wouldn’t it be great to hear JST having a smoke-off with Elles Bailey on a duet? Behind Joanne, the marvellous Katelynn Corll added exquisite backing vocals to her excellent drumming and really contributed something special to the occasion.
As usual, Joanne let the music do most of the talking, and the arrangements and guitar playing were very eloquent indeed. When she did chat between songs, the likeable Midlander shared some amusing stories about her dog Hank, Harry Potter and her secret crush, Kevin Costner. Memorably, her excellent cover of ‘Two Time My Loving’ by The Fabulous Thunderbirds came with a disclaimer that Joanne does not endorse cheating!
The set list was primarily drawn from Joanne’s own work, which includes a smattering of some other people’s songs that she has already put her stamp on. Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ dates back to Porgy and Bess in 1935 and according to The Jazz Society, there have been over one thousand recorded versions of this tune, although other online estimates are considerably higher. I am sure folks from the 1930s would appreciate Joanne’s vocal interpretation but I think her guitar playing would blow their freaking minds.
As a boomer, I used to associate ‘Wild is the Wind’ with David Bowie, but his was just one of many covers of that song, dating back to Johnny Mathis. I suspect Ella Fitzgerald’s take will have been Joanne’s favourite version, but for me, the intricate song really brings the best out of Joanne’s voice and her quite exquisite rendition on her ‘Reckless Heart’ album is the new gold standard. Having listened in quiet appreciation, many in the crowd fell for the false ending and erupted into applause, before Katelynn’s authoritative short drum burst heralded the blistering guitar denouement that put the cherry on the cake.
As always, Joanne’s performance was outstanding. By doing it the old-fashioned way through recording and touring, Joanne has developed a loyal and discerning following who appreciate her work. In the corridor, I heard one individual deliver a slightly crass, cack-handed compliment, describing the main lady as “like Bonamassa with breasts”. I’m sure he meant well and was primarily referring to the quality of her playing, but as a friend and collaborator of Joe’s and a lady who does not overtly use her femininity and beauty to promote her talent, I doubt if Joanne would really welcome the comparison.
At the start of the evening, Essex lad Connor Selby was the opening act – the third time he has done the honours for Joanne, although once again, it was as a solo act, accompanied only by a small amp and his own happy, tappy feet. He comes with an increasing reputation, as he was voted "Young Artist of the Year" at the UK Blues Awards in three consecutive years between 2020 and 2022, before graduating to win a “big boy now” trophy with the 2025 "Traditional Blues Artist of the Year" award.
The subject of his song titles tended to fit the “modern blues” template. The opener ‘Falling in Love with You’ sounded potentially romantic, although Connor didn’t seem all that thrilled about it. He then introduced ‘All Out of Luck’ as being “about my current situation”, which drew some sympathetic “aawws” from the mothers in the audience. There was a “countrified heartbreak” song, plus the excellent ‘The Truth Comes Out Eventually’, which is the title of his latest album, before it all wrapped up with the comparatively upbeat and undeniably excellent ‘Someone’. Clearly an outstanding performer, and already a favourite with some Rockfiend colleagues, I will hope to see Connor in a band context at some point.
Postscript;
Although in fine form in this gig, apparently Joanne was subsequently laid low with a chest cold which impacted some dates and caused the cancellation of others. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
PHONE PHOTO BY IAIN MCARTHUR
