CONCERT HALL, PERTH (2007)
'PERTHSIRE ADVERTISER' (September, 2007)
IN her trademark fist pumping, arm waving, thumbs up style, Elaine Bookbinder, aka Elkie Brooks, took the almost full Concert Hall crowd by storm last Friday.
Her first half set was a mixture of styles and composers, starting with Rod Stewart’s Gasoline Alley which set the tone for a night of sheer delight. There was more than a hint of jazz and blues in the programme, but after an interval to catch our breath, she stormed into her biggest hit with Pearl’s A Singer and from then on it was pure rock ‘n’ roll.
Ms Brooks has been turning out hits since 1964 and, at 62, she has lost none of the raw edginess that has endeared her to the fans over five decades.
A pensioner she may be, but she still has the ability to get an audience on its feet for a standing ovation, not only for her, but a fabulous five-piece band plus backing vocalist.
(Peter Cargill)
