Amy Winehouse Tribute Concert Celebrates Back to Black

A one-night-only tribute concert at London's Roundhouse celebrated the 20th anniversary of Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album with 11 artists performing songs from the record and related tracks. The event, held on Wednesday, October 21, was recorded for a BBC television special hosted by Jo Whiley and organized by the album's original producers, Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. It took place 20 years after the album's release and 15 years after Winehouse's death at age 27.

Corinne Bailey Rae opened the evening by performing the title track 'Back to Black'. She stated she wanted to do the song justice and praised Winehouse's 'confidence' and 'playful' stage presence. The lineup featured established artists and newer voices, each assigned a song from the seminal album, backed by the Amy Winehouse Band led by musical director Dale Davis.

Performances

Artists including Corinne Bailey Rae, Sasha Keable, Nia Smith, and Jessie Reyez delivered emotionally resonant renditions of Winehouse's songs and covers. The full sequence of performances was as follows:

Sasha Keable drew the biggest crowd reactions of the night, her resemblance to Winehouse in voice and style noted. Yebba performed a minimalist take on 'Love Is a Losing Game' with Mark Ronson on guitar, who revealed he had originally assembled a 50-piece string section for the track. The R&B trio FLO performed 'He Can Only Hold Her' in a 1960s doo-wop style. Jessie Reyez closed the Back to Black portion with a raw rendition of 'Rehab', with Ronson introducing her by saying she reminded him of Winehouse's no-bullshit style.

The show concluded with an all-star ensemble finale of 'Valerie', a Zutons' cover Winehouse made famous, with each performer taking a line as the audience danced.

Context

The concert honored Winehouse's Back to Black album released 20 years ago, featuring a full album performance by the Amy Winehouse Band and highlighting her Camden roots. The venue, the Roundhouse in Camden, was where Winehouse made her final public appearance in July 2011 before her death three days later. The crowd reflected multiple generations, from those who saw her perform 20 years ago to those born after her death, with many attendees dressed in her signature beehive and eyeliner.

The album Back to Black was released on October 27, 2006. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, won five Grammys, and has sold more than 4.6 million chart units in the U.K., remaining among the country's best-selling albums of all time. A deluxe 20th anniversary edition is due out Friday.

While the event was described by some as a feel-good procession of women reimagining Winehouse, other accounts found the tone overly reverent. The constant praise from host Jo Whiley was noted as a point of contention. Jo Whiley said: "It’s a little grating to be constantly told that a concert is amazing even as it unfolds, but that’s TV for you." Some criticism suggested the tribute lacked Winehouse’s own playfulness, bite, and anarchic charisma, describing the endeavor as a 'losing game'.

The concert will be broadcast in full on the BBC later this month.