Rebecca Downes - BeLive (Live) (2017)

Voted Best Emerging Artist and Best Female Vocalist in the British Blues Awards 2016 and Best Female Vocalist in the FORM UK Blues Awards 2018, Rebecca and her band produced 'BeLive'in early 2017 in response to fan demand for a live album. It features a typical set from the Rebecca Downes Band’s performances in the second half of 2015 and throughout 2016, recorded at various locations and engineered at M2 Studios, Coven, which sits within the heart of the band’s West Midlands base. The band at that time consisted of Rebecca on lead vocals, Steve on lead guitar and backing vocals, Rick Benton on keys and Hammond, Dan Clark on bass and Lloyd Daker on drums. Paul Gooderham joined them on stage to add his blues harp to Night Train and Long Long Time.

Performing live is the pinnacle for almost every band – and the ultimate test of their music. Modern-day studio techniques enable recorded music to be polished to the point of perfection, but live performance in front of knowledgeable audiences offers little protection and takes no prisoners where musicians lack the skill, temperament and flexibility to deal with the many variables of the situations in which they are required to perform. It is testimony to Rebecca and her band that not only do they replicate the musicianship, quality and passion of original tracks from their two studio albums and one EP, written by Rebecca and lead guitarist Steve Birkett, they actually develop them much further. This is not just an album of original songs played live; each track is deeper, broader and stronger. Add in three classic covers delivered with characteristic power and you have a 13-track album that fizzes with energy and which gives a taste for what the band is about, the essence of one of their gigs and the quality that led to their awards. BeLive is a statement of where Rebecca and the band were from 2016-18, an example of the performances that have caused such excitement with fans and experts alike and an indication of what was to come from this exciting and energetic musical talent.