September 10, 2026 (Northfield Park Racino, OH)
Kicking off her 2026 Fall Tour, we were lucky enough to have the first stop be at Northfield Park Racino.
As opener Ty Taylor finished up a great set, the crowd was preparing for Beth Hart. Refilling drinks, chatting amongst themselves, all with anticipation of what was to come.
As the house lights went down, the room filled with applause as Beth approached the center stage microphone. She greeted the crowd in normal fashion, and then spoke about herself listening to a lot of gospel music. “I’m gonna try to sing just a little bit of one of my favorite songs to start the energy…”
Beth struck up a gospel classic, “Walk Around Heaven”, just her and a microphone – center stage, a cappella. The crowd fell completely silent. It was definitely a statement to start with, and the crowd was tuned into every note.
After a great round of applause, Beth then took a seat at her piano for a solo performance of “War In My Mind”. Only two songs into the performance, and one could tell she was baring her soul as she worked her way through the lyrics.
“It’s ugly when I cry,
I’m crying all the time in my mind,
Where it builds and it climbs,
And this is more than I can handle,
Give me something strong to fill the hole,
I make love to the war in my soul”
The connection and the beauty in her artistry was already something to behold.
It was time for the full band to enter the stage, Jon Nichols (guitar), Tom Lilly (bass), and Todd Wolf (drums) all filled their respective spots. The heavily blues influenced “I’ll Take Care of You” was up next. Jon’s guitar work was a perfect match with Beth’s voice for this sultry number.
As they worked through the almost two hour set, Beth had complete control of the crowd. Whether she was roaming through the aisles, getting a hug from a fan at front stage, or performing while lying on her back, everyone was locked in. Even a couple of mistakes could not derail the set of music that was in store for the crowd tonight.
Quite a few of her songs were chosen spur of the moment. It was a performance filled with an all “feel” set of eclectic originals. She would return time-to-time to a couple of songs from the pre-determined set list, but only as far as she felt it.
Some in the crowd were up dancing to certain songs. The more intimate songs – when Beth would return to just her and her piano, had the place entirely quiet during her performance.
It was a night to behold. It was my first experience at a Beth Hart show, and after what I witnessed this night at Northfield park, it will not be my last. The energy and connection throughout the entire night was unparalleled to any show I have ever attended.
Beth Hart – Raw. Emotional. Angelic.
PHOTO GALLERY
