Hard Rock Live Orlando, Florida was graced with hosting The Beth Hart Band on Friday night August 10, 2018. The capacity of Hard Rock Live is just over 1,800. At show time most of the theater was vacant, but the crowd continued to roll in and find their seats. After a brief delay, the house lights dimmed, and the stage lights came on to “The Beth Hart Band”, but no Beth Hart? The sultry blues voice everyone came to hear was singing with the band, but she was nowhere to be seen. The follow spotlights swung to the rear and illuminated Hart as she entered the theater singing her way down the aisle shaking hands, giving high fives, and not missing a note. She continued down the aisle to center stage. Turning, surrounded by her fans, Hart finishing the first number before joining her band on stage. The excitement from the crown was electric. This was going to be a great performance.

It was my first time seeing a Beth Hart performance and almost forgot the job at hand (photographing and review) as I was enjoying the moment. I just don’t have enough adjectives to describe this concert. Beth Hart, for a little over an hour owned the hearts of everyone in attendance. She sang at the microphone with power and grit of a blues singer as you would expect, but when she went to the keyboards, she showed a vulnerability with her lyrics that went deep into your soul. She was gracious, gritty, sultry, and genuine and the crowd connected with her and her music. It felt like the experience was going to go on forever, but all good things must come to an end. The crowd was on their feet and wanted more.

After a minute or two after vacating, The Beth Hart Band returned to the stage to a standing ovation. Hart in her dress and heels walked to the edge of the stage and took a seat dangling her legs over the edge. She was connecting with her audience up close and personal as she started the show and proceeded to sing the next two songs from there. The band left the stage a second time, but Hart went for her keyboards and proceeded to play two more. If “The Kenny Wayne Sheppard Band” wasn’t waiting in the wings for their set, I think the love affair would have continued the entire evening. Nobody wanted her to leave, most of all Beth Hart. She thanked the fans and asked if they could come along with her, the rest of the tour. This was a special performance, so good it almost cleared my music bucket list!