SUSAN BOYLE, LIVE IN CONCERT AT THE PLYMOUTH PAVILIONS, APRIL 12th 2014

Amateurs practice until they get it right; professionals practice until they can't get it wrong. (Anon)

Last night I had the very great honour to watch Susan Boyle live in concert at the Plymouth Pavilions, and she got everything right!

I mentioned in my last review that whilst Susan loves the recording studio, she was born to perform on stage, and so it was yesterday evening.  CDs are, by their very nature, compressed digitally.  To my ear they strip away the layers and textures of a singer's voice.  They are 'sanitized' for want of a better adjective. I love Susan's studio recordings, but the comparison between those tracks and her live performance is like comparing night and day. 

The passion that Susan exudes when she sings certain songs has to be witnessed to be believed.  That little lady has a powerful voice that is both compelling and emotive.  I think it was Fred O'Neil who said that there was no emotional filter between Susan and her audience, when she sings.  He expressed that perfectly.  For every song she sings, Susan becomes the song.  It is part of the magic that is Susan Boyle.

Susan Boyle has stage presence, before she even opens her mouth.  Some people are blessed with that; others are not.  It is a gift and one that has been bountifully bestowed upon Susan.  Theatres also have their own characters, therefore the ambience of any venue will affect a sensitive performer in one way or another.  The atmosphere at Plymouth felt more intimate, somehow, and I'm sure Susan picked up on that.  Her manner was more relaxed and she spoke to us in a way that seemed more personal; less scripted.

When Susan appeared at the top of the little staircase, as she had in Manchester, for the opening of the show, I was looking for differences or subtle changes in her routine.  I was very relieved to note that she was wearing lower, thicker-heeled shoes.  We would describe them as court shoes; smart, dressy but much, much easier to walk and stand in.  That might account for the fact that Susan stood far more in this concert than she did in Manchester.  Smart lady!  That, as far as I could tell, was her only concession to having completed three-quarters of what must be a gruelling concert schedule.

I will not review song by song, as I did last time.  That is unnecessary.  What I want to try to do this time is to convey a taste of the atmosphere and frisson in the theatre.  The concert began with Susan silhouetted,  gesturing while the sound track from the BGT audition played.  But then the spotlight hit her and she was there, live.  Even though I saw it before, in last night's setting it was startling and wonderful and intimate.  The music began, she started to sing and we were transported.....

Susan held us in the palm of her small hand over and over again last night.  When 'the voice' is unfettered by constraints, Susan's soars like a bird freed from its cage.  She raises her audience to seemingly unattainable heights and then, just when you think she has reached her apex, she takes you even further.  The difference between the soft, clear bell-like quality of Ae Fond Kiss is contrasted most vividly by River Deep, Mountain High.  Susan put her soul into the latter last night.  Lance Ellington joins her in this, even though it is not officially a duet.  I want, at this point, to give some acknowledgement to Susan's excellent pianist and band but most especially to Lance Ellington.  Lance is professional, has good stage presence and gives a polished performance whilst leaving you in no doubt as to who the star is.  The two of them were certainly on the same wavelength when this number was performed.  Susan produced a visceral, earthy, powerful performance that brought the audience to its feet.  There were no 'red scarf' fans present (that I saw) last night to instigate that. The audience's response seemed genuinely spontaneous and less contrived.  It was the public at large!  She raised the roof! Who knew Li'l Susie Boyle had it in her?

Run Like The Wind has grown on me, since Manchester!  I felt the backing was at a better level last night, and I think that is true across the board.  The Winner Takes It All benefited, particularly, from this.

Unchained Melody, sung live, is unforgettable.  To hear Susan hit that high note in 'I neeeed your love', and to make it appear effortless, bears witness to some excellent vocal techniques, practice and training.  Take a bow, Fred O'Neil, because I am sure it was under your expert guidance that Susan perfected her trade. 

Last, but in no way least, I applaud the Military Wives Choir who performed with Susan last night.  They really are exceptionally good, and their contribution to the show as a whole was a bonus for every audience member in the Plymouth Pavilions.

I have a message for Susan Boyle's management.  We want a CD or DVD of Susan, live in concert - please!  There are a lot of fans unable to attend live performances.  Studio recordings are not a substitute for live recordings.  Too often studio recordings are digitally altered, and the spontaneity and vitality lost.

And to Susan:  last night you gave a performance five years and one day after your BGT audition was televised.  You said, then, that you wanted, "to make the audience rock!"  You made the Plymouth Pavilions rock.  You can go back to the village with your head held high.  You have thousands of Yeses!

SUSAN BOYLE CONCERT, BRIDGEWATER HALL, MANCHESTER, MARCH 25th 2014

Earlier this evening I had the great pleasure to attend Susan's third concert in this tour, at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.

Lance Ellington opened the show and sang two numbers (I'm Feelin' Good and Luck Be a Lady Tonight) and did an excellent job warming up the crowd at Bridgewater Hall.  The lights dimmed and suddenly Susan appeared elegantly silhouetted against a a purple light at the top of a gentle flight of steps.  The audition dialogue between Susan and Simon was played, while Susan (still in silhouette) gestured as if she was answering him 'live'.

The lights came up, and we could see Susan in a gorgeous dark, soft grey full length dress, sequined heavily over the bodice and graduating down the skirt.  The skirt consisted of two layers, with a lovely, flattering light top layer.  At first I thought the sequins were purple, but that was only the reflection from the light.  As she descended the steps, I could see that the sequins were actually grey, to match the dress.  It was actually very tasteful. Susan is quite narrow-hipped, and is much more slender than she appears on screen - and much prettier!  Her hair was up, but more softly styled than it had been in the first two concerts.  It was far more flattering!

The six-piece band played the opening bars to I Dreamed a Dream, but changed very cleverly into 'Out Here On My Own', which was our first song of the evening.

Susan spoke to us with confidence, and said that she wanted to take us on a journey during the show, and what a journey it turned out to be....
Before she continued, we got a very graceful wiggle.  It was entirely planned, and Susan was in full control of the situation.  The audience clapped and fell at her feet.  She really does have a disarming charm about her.

Susan's second song was 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' and she sang it beautifully.  I have heard it said that you really do have to hear Susan sing live, and after tonight I agree 100%.  Her recordings are lovely, but her voice is so compressed in them!  The texture of her voice, and tonal quality is exceptional.  She modulates in a way that is seemingly effortless, but it adds so much to a live performance.  Her transitions from chest to head voice were seamless, and she is sustaining her notes much more effectively than she did before.  She looked totally relaxed.  She was enjoying her performance, and so were we!

The third song was 'The Winner Takes It All'.  I have heard arrangements that I personally preferred, but Susan put her heart and soul into it.  When she feels empathy with the lyrics, the raw emotion she releases is tangible. WOW.....!

Next came the duet we all heard Susan sing with Elaine Paige, 'I Know Him So Well' from the musical, Chess.  This time Susan took the lead role and her partner was Annie, who also provided backing for other numbers with Zoe.  It went over very well, and was appreciated by the audience.

'Wild Horses' came next.  Susan certainly nailed that one as well.  She was on top form and gave a performance as good as any I have seen her give before.  She was on a roll and it was absolutely breathtaking.

There was a chair on stage, and Susan sat down.  She sang 'That Ole Devil Called Love' with a piano accompaniment.  It was obvious that she was 'in the groove' and it made me impatient for album no. 6.  (Please, please, let it be Blues and Jazz!)

While Susan was sitting, she sang 'The Way We Were'.  It was superb; Susan in full control and pouring her heart and soul into it with exquisite sensitivity.  All the time the backdrop to the stage was flooded with stars ambient lighting.  Lovely.

The next number was 'Answer Me My Love' (I think.)  I say this because for some reason the band was rather overwhelming and the balance was somewhat lost.  This was the only song in the set in which I had difficulty hearing Susan.  She introduced Annie and Zoe at this point.

Throughout the whole concert, Susan chatted with the audience in between songs, very naturally, and was in full command of the house.  She really has become a professional in every sense of the word.

Next came 'As Long As He Needs Me'.  Susan absolutely nailed it.  Her voice soared and held us all captive.  It would be very easy to envisage her on a stage on Broadway.  Her voice is certainly up to it!

Susan then left the stage. In her absence we had a beautiful violin solo of a Celtic melody. Susan reappeared after that in the soft mulberry caped dress.  That one is absolutely beautiful!

A small choir joined Susan on stage for 'You Raise Me Up'.  Susan sang just as we saw her sing in Texas.  She brought the house down!  The choir rose to the occasion, as well.  It was rather nice, because there were not too many of them.

Next came an intermission of about 20 mins.

When Susan returned on stage, she was wearing a long, black sequined dress with a short train.  She sang a duet with Lance Ellington entitled 'The Perfect Year'.  I think that's the title, but the song was new to me!  I think at this point it is fair to say that Lance is extremely well suited to partnering Susan.  He leaves no one in any doubt as to who the real star is, and I think Susan probably feels very comfortable with him.

Susan's next song was 'Take That Look Off Your Face'.  That little lady has a voice that completely filled the hall!  She moved naturally throughout the evening, and never once looked in the least bit awkward.

Lance joined Susan again for the Phantom of the Opera Duet, 'All I Ask of You'.  It was wonderful!  Susan nailed every note over and over again. Susan might like the recording studio, but she is born to the stage.  You can see her 'lifted' by the audience's applause and interaction.  It is a very emotional experience, watching Susan sing live; a sort of symbiosis taking place between her and 'us'.

Susan then told us that she had been a very quiet, withdrawn child, and that she had attended drama school to give her more confidence.  That makes sense, when you think about it.....

Next came one of my personal favourites, 'Make You Feel My Love'.  The emotion was tangible, again, as it was with 'Run With the Wind', which followed.  Then, just as we felt we had reached emotional saturation, came 'Ae Fond Kiss', sung by Susan, seated again. It was absolutely beautiful......

The pace changed with the next number, 'Unchained Melody'.  When Susan hit that very high note (I need your love) the theatre roared and applauded - it was incredible!!  I think she was wise to sing that particular song when she was well warmed-up.  It really must be a challenge, but she met it and excelled.

Susan then treated us to the little parody of Simon, Piers and Amanda.  Hilarious!  She really is quite a natural comedienne.

'Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me' came next, with Susan backed by Annie and Zoe.  I find it amazing how many genres Susan can actually sing.  She really was extremely good.

Lance joined Susan again to sing 'This Is The Moment', that Susan had previously sung with Donny Osmond.  She had a standing ovation (one of many during the evening's performance) that was richly deserved.  It was fantastic.

Now - I never thought I would say this, but move over Tina Turner!  Susan sang 'River Deep, Mountain High' and it was absolutely brilliant!  She made it her own.  She had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand.  You really have to see it to believe it, folks, but Susan Boyle sang that song with total conviction.  Breathtaking - truly.

The choir appeared at the back of the stage again.  Susan had left for a couple of mins. and reappeared at the stop of the steps, ready to sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.  I have to admit that although this is a song I have never particularly liked, Susan sang it well and with great gravitas.  She was wearing red this time; an A-line dress softly gathered under the bust.  It was extremely flattering, with beaded, loose cap sleeves.

We were all waiting for the next number, and we weren't disappointed; 'Who I Was Born To Be'.  Susan sat at the piano and accompanied herself for the first few lines.  She didn't play perfectly, but she has taken those first, important steps to maybe one day being able to accompany herself for some songs.  She creates a very intimate relationship with her audience, and I'm sure not one person thought any less of her for not getting it 100% right.  She hit one wrong note and said. "Sorry!" and it absolutely won every one of us over.  I think it is because Susan comes across as being one of us, and we all wanted to see her play!  I think it probably takes more courage to do that knowing that you're likely to make a mistake than it does if you are fully proficient.

The last song was, of course, 'I Dreamed a Dream', the song Susan said had gotten her into a lot of trouble!  She sang it far more like she did at the audition than on the first CD, I'm happy to report.  It occurred to me that I have been listening to Susan sing that song now for five years, and it still has the same effect on me.  Gulp!

I have tried to give a detailed review of the evening's concert.  I could write for a week, but I could never convey the magic of hearing Susan sing live and the effect it actually has on the listener.  It is as if this (actually very slight) figure appears on stage, opens her mouth to sing and completely envelops the audience in a cocoon of electricity and emotion.  Susan stands there, and it seems almost as if she is baring her soul, through both the power and sensitivity of her voice.  Her lower register is full of colour and depth whilst her high register is clear and very powerful.  That is quite a combination!  I am so happy that Susan has realised her dream of becoming a professional singer.  This evening this fan totally believes that she has reached her goal, and that there is much to look forward to in the future.

Tonight people cried, cheered, danced in the aisles and left the Bridgewater Hall the better for having experienced something not all of us have the opportunity to witness; the magic created by an evening of listening to Susan Boyle - Professional Singer. 

I HOPE TO GIVE EVERYONE A LITTLE LIGHT THIS CHRISTMAS.

 “You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the earth by the Master Craftsman.”
― Max Lucado, The Christmas Candle

I went to watch this film confident in the knowledge that I would probably enjoy it, but without (what I thought were) unrealistic expectations.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see Susan appear within the first few minutes of the start of the film, singing in the church!  The acoustics were made for it, of course....

The story line was a little predictable, certainly, but I loved the ambience of the setting, and there are some very good actors in the film: James Cosby, John Hannah, Sylvester McCoy, Barbara Flynn and Lesley Manville - all well respected actors over here.

My one criticism would be concerning the two young leads, Samantha Barks and Hans Matheson who failed to convince me they were from the era in question.  A little more attention to accent and mode of speech would have helped immensely.  There was a little too much of the 20th/21st century in their pronunciation.  That would, perhaps, be more obvious to us on this side of the Pond than in the U.S.

Susan's acting actually impressed me far more than I thought it would!  Her expressions spoke volumes; the accusatory, condemning stares after her husband's death said it all, and in the graveside scene, Susan literally looked ashen and in shock.  I found the scene very powerful.

I think that the fact that Susan spoke her parts naturally in the film was far more difficult than it would have been to overplay her part.  We should remember that in the 1890s, generally speaking, men were very much in charge of the household.  Women played a far more subservient role.

The other point I feel I should make is that in the Victorian era (and beyond) the Church and Chapels played an integral role in the lives of small villages!  I think it would have been very difficult to produce a film like The Christmas Candle without the religious aspect.

Of course the story line was a bit 'sappy'.  This is a feel-good Christmas film that has been produced from a not-very-good novelette!  But, at Christmas, I do enjoy this sort of film!  Admittedly, it was necessary to focus on the details to follow the story and ultimately 'connect the dots' but it came together well enough in the end.

The baby was adorable!  Who could fail to smile when he made an appearance?  Of course, the story of his birth echoed that of the nativity in many ways, but I'm a sucker for happy endings.  I'm being deliberately vague on all details here, so as not to spoil it for would-be viewers.

Even Susan/Eleanor and the vicar made their peace.  I suppose the moral was that Eleanor's faith proved stronger than her grief.....

I also liked the light-hearted moments; the vicar learning to knit, to answer the prayer of the lady who prayed for a companion to knit with. I loved how each village member or family in some way helped meet the needs of a neighbour, and reaped benefit themselves in the process.  What goes round, comes round, as the old adage goes!

I think I might buy the video when it comes out, to play at Christmas.  I really did enjoy it.

Susan appeared a lot more than I expected her to, as well.  That was an added bonus!

I would recommend anyone to go watch this film.  Ignore the cynics.  If you enjoy films like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" you'll enjoy The Christmas Candle.  It's not going to nominated for any Oscars, but it's a watchable, enjoyable old-fashioned Christmas film.  I wish there were more like it.