Nanci Griffith @ Symphony Hall

Aug 1 2006 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

THE Queen of Folkabilly is very much living up to the title famously afforded her by Rolling Stone magazine.

Happily for fans of the Texan folk and country singer, with her home state's drawl giving her voice a seductive cutting edge, Birmingham was one of the five dates on her brief UK tour.

She responded in great style, backed as ever by The Blue Moon Orchestra who have been doing the job splendidly for the last 20 years.

Nanci, whose campaigning ranges from the Iraq War and landmines to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, opened delightfully with the unaccompanied Road to Aberdeen.

She quickly demonstrated her gentle country/folk style on the excellent A Simple Life and The Sound of Loneliness.

And Nanci also displayed her more uptempo range, notably on Love Conquers All, I Love This Town, and Last Train Home.

But special moments were provided by the frequently recorded From A Distance and Gulf Coast Highway, which she said had taken on new meaning following the damage to her "beloved" New Orleans.

There was one twist in store when Nanci revealed her "obsession" for UK soap EastEnders, adding that she wanted a non-speaking cameo such as "passed out on a bar".