AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING! FAN REVIEW OF SUSAN BOYLE'S CONCERT AT DURHAM, N.C.

I have read many reviews by fans and professional reviewers since Susan Boyle started her US concert tour, but one in particular struck a chord with me.  It was written by Clix Pix, and I have her permission to share it here, with a couple of photographs she took on the night.

"Susan's concert was as unique as she herself is -- it was a warm and inviting atmosphere, with the audience being "right there" with Susan, and boy, did those two hours go by too fast!   Would I go to another Susan concert?  You bet!  Would I follow her all over the country or go over to the UK?  Not just for that one purpose, but hearing her in her own country would be a fun experience, too.

Susan's concert is definitely in a format and at a pace just right for Susan.   Although it is not as polished as most concerts to which we’ve become accustomed, there is a lot of good support from Lance Ellington and the two backup singers as well as the band.  The musicians are terrific and I enjoyed every now and then looking over at Kennedy Aitchison on piano. Susan is able to bring the audience into her sphere, inviting them to listen to her and enjoy her music in the way only she can provide it…..  She's irresistible!  You can't take your eyes off her.  Before I went, I told myself, “OK, I am just going to have to not get  upset if Susan goofs something up, hits a note a little flat or whatever……”  and, amazingly, I was able to do that because Susan was so…..so real, so genuine, so very much just putting herself right out there for all of us, vulnerable and strong at the same time.  She was being herself, giving us the gift of singing something and we had the choice to like it or not like it, accept it or not accept it, with the realization that at the same time this probably meant accepting Susan herself for who she is and what she can and cannot do……  She handled the few goofs very gracefully (at times wittily, too) and brought the audience right along with her…..she had us in the palm of her dainty little hand!  For example, when she started to sing one number and kind of croaked, she immediately stopped, said something like “can we do this again?” and reached for the bottle of water to take a good slug to moisten her throat before continuing…….and on the second go-around, things were just fine. She handled things with humor and that made it all work out well.   Unlike the television show disasters we’ve seen, Susan herself was in control of the timing of all of this in her own show.  She gets a frog in the throat…..no panic, just say something quick to the audience, reach for the water, the band pauses, ready to resume when the star is ready to resume……

Susan comes across as very endearing, quite appealing, just delightfully charming and likable — and very real, very authentic, down-to-earth.   That authenticity is definitely part of her appeal.  She has an engaging personality which floats right out to the audience from the stage.   As she said a long time ago, “with me, what you see is what you get — no airs and graces,” and this holds true even now.   It's truly delightful.   She pours her heart and soul into each performance, and we can see it, hear it, feel it.   Audiences respond well to this.  We sure did in Durham!  The choice of material that was sung and presented gave listeners a wide variety so that as Susan so often says when interviewed about one of her albums, “there’s something for everybody.”  For me, being there and already being well informed about what the set list was and about other details of the show, there wasn't quite a surprise factor -- it was a little different experience than the one the woman on one side of me had.  While I was eagerly anticipating songs that I knew were coming up,  she was only aware of two of Susan's albums, which she had.  (I think IDAD and "The Gift.")    She was very pleased at hearing the songs from the “Hope” album which Susan sang and I assured her that she would really like that entire album, then.  I’ll bet she has already gone out to buy it or has ordered it from Amazon or iTunes.

Susan's voice is glorious, soaring and filled with depth and nuance……amazing!  The timbre of her voice is beautiful and she has definitely learned how to harness that power so that she controls her voice and embraces each song in order to convey meaning and capture emotion.  She really lets that voice soar, too.   That is worth the price of admission, just hearing this.  There is indeed a difference between what we hear on the CDs and what we hear in a concert.

A huge, huge thing, too, for me, something which delighted me, is being able to see her moving more around on stage.  Gone is the deer-in-the-headlights look, the standing-stock-still, the sense that if anything changed she would fall apart…… Unlike watching her on TV and holding my breath and hoping she could get through a song, I was relaxed and "in the groove" with her.  She was definitely enjoying the experience of sharing herself and her beautiful voice with the large Durham audience.   I think that one big reason for this is that she’s in control of how things are going to go.  It’s her concert, her own show,  not “DWTS” or “AGT” or some other television show where there are numerous restrictions set in place from the get-go.  Those TV shows operate under time restraints.   A concert is very different. If Susan runs overtime during her concert, no biggie.  If she needs to cough or clear her throat or take a swig of water during the concert, no big deal — everybody waits for her, as she’s the one who is the star here.  If she decides to do a funny little dance move thing or move her arms or hands  around in a different way as the music moves her, no one can say, “stop!  Susan, don’t do that!”  She isn't rushed to perform, she can do things at her own pace.   On the concert stage she is the one in control. She can do what she pleases, move as she pleases and as the music or the song lyrics affect her.  The band follows her lead, it's all about Susan all the way.  It must be a heady experience.  Wow…..

I don't know about the other theatres in which she has been, but in Durham they had two monitors, too, so that even people in the nosebleed section would be able to actually see Susan close up.  I had an ideal seat -- dead-center, about 8 or 9 rows back, and I was especially fortunate to have short little C*** C***** (from another forum)  seated in front of me!  Perfect!! I could easily see Susan with an unobstructed view.  How lucky was THAT?!  :)    I mostly watched Susan on the stage, of course, but occasionally would glance up at the monitors, too.

I think we had about four or five standing ovations;  we all rose to our feet when Susan first appeared -- that opening sequence is brilliant, isn't it? -- and then for at least three songs ("Unchained Melody" for one) and of course at the end, too.    The area of people where I was didn't seem to be as lively as some in other parts of the theatre.  Well, I made up for that, swinging and swaying, tapping and clapping in my seat during "O Happy Day" and "River Deep, Mountain High" in particular.    Those were two of my favorites, of course.  I also loved "Unchained Melody" -- sooooo much more effective than on the album!    Even though I've never been very fond of "Cry Me a River" I really liked hearing Susan doing that one live, and it was beautifully done.  Wow.   "Ae Fond Kiss" was one I was really eager to hear and it was beautiful.  Of course most in that audience wouldn't be familiar with that song but I think they all appreciated it for its beauty anyway.  Susan puts some real emotion into that one.     Another song which I was looking forward to hearing live was "As Long As He Needs Me," and that was wonderful, too.

Susan and Lance did "This is the Moment" and it was a great moment!  :)  It was really fun seeing Lance and Susan dancing, too! (I think that was during "River Deep, Mountain High".)     "Run With the Wind" was very nice -- again, I suspect that one might not be familiar to American audiences.     Although "I Can Only Imagine" will never be a favorite song of mine, I will say that it worked well in the concert and that Susan did a lovely job with it.

Susan sings "Angel" beautifully and touchingly.   Her performance of "The Impossible Dream" was stunning -- much more effective than on the album.   Oh, how could I forget -- when she started singing "Wild Horses" that one brought tears to my eyes.  It was amazing being there in person seeing and hearing her sing this most favorite song!

"Who I Was Born to Be" was where she starts the song out at the piano.  I have mixed feelings about this, to be honest.   I actually prefer the song sung all the way through without the business at the piano, but again it was cute seeing her at the piano and kidding around a bit, too.  She is definitely who she was born to be! 

Of course it was even more amazing seeing and hearing Susan singing the song which brought her to American stages in the first place:  "I Dreamed a Dream."  Beautiful!!!!!  I really like that change in the final line -- it makes a huge difference and it makes much more sense, given how this song has changed Susan's life for the better.  She is indeed living the life she dreamed......."

(Credits: Clix Pix)

I don't think anyone reading this can avoid the very tangible excitement and appreciation that Clix Pix felt watching Susan live in concert.  I know she won't mind me stating that she is someone who "tells it as it is", and it was for this reason that I wanted to include her review in this blog.  Thank you Clix Pix - and thank you Susan Boyle!

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.

*"After All We Aren't Savages Really..."

“Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as it's someone else's witch being hunted"
(Walter Kirn )

Something very worrying is happening within the Susan Boyle community....

One of the younger members of the fandom is a prolific contributor in terms of posters and tribute videos.

Some months ago our fan (whose first language is not English) decided to add simple prose to some of his posters. He used sentiments to express his admiration for Susan and, at times, her faith. Simply written, they have a charm and simplicity that is harmless, if sometimes idealistic.

Many members of the community appreciate this young man's efforts; others loathe them.  That is, of course their prerogative.  The problem is that some members of the latter group have taken it upon themselves to try to force this young man to desist.  He was recently personally attacked twice on Facebook, thus:

I know I'm going to ruffle a lot of feathers but I have to say what is necessary.I apologize to you in advance R***.
Where does M**** get off making posters and videos of Susan Boyle when he doesn't have permission to use them. They are not his work! There are copyright laws and they apply to him as well. He puts HIS words on these posters, and they don't make sense. Get a grip of the English language M*****! You absolutely butchered Susan receiving her doctorate! I will keep hammering you until you give up your fantasy about Susan Boyle.

The bolding above is mine.  This attack took place on July 7th.
 
On  August 10th the following was posted on his Facebook wall, by the same person as before:

What accusations now? Me and millions of other people adore Susan Boyle only we don't spend endless hours on posters with silly words on them. News flash M****.... YOU ARE NOT THE MAN IN SUSAN BOYLE"S LIFE !! There are also a great many of us that are sick of you. You're 35 years old and still living in LA LA Land. Geesh!

 Again, the bolding above is mine.

Can anyone honestly agree that this sort of attack is morally justifiable?  Can 'hammering' at someone to try to force them to change ever be acceptable?  These are prime examples of cyber-bullying.

How would anyone of us feel if we were told that 'a great many' were sick of us?  I would feel wounded.  I should imagine most of us would....

Now add to this the fact that the young man's skills in English are very limited.  He cannot adequately defend himself.  In fact, the only way in which he can adequately express his emotions and admiration for Susan Boyle is in his videos and posters, which he posts every day ....

Remind you of anyone?  Susan Boyle herself has stated that the only way in which she can express herself adequately is through singing.

He does not always use photographs of Susan Boyle that have been airbrushed or show her at what most of us consider to be her most attractive. But to our young, male fan, all photographs of Susan are beautiful, and in that sense he is entirely without prejudice. 

It is not only on Facebook that the young man has been attacked.  It has happened privately as well.  It has also happened on the largest fan forum within the community.  It has become so bad that on several occasions he has tried to resign from the forum on which some of his antagonists are members; only to return out of his loyalty to Susan.  But that is seen as 'manipulation' of fellow fans.  The young man is discouraged and frustrated, and tries to make that known, but that in turn is seen as further manipulation....and cries for attention!

At The Susan Boyle Fans Forum recently a group of members took it upon themselves to take this young man to task over his tributes to Susan Boyle. His attackers seem to be of the opinion that he is 'holding the forums to ransom' by continuing to post.   They complain that he 'monopolizes the forum' by posting consistently.  They, on the other hand, whilst complaining amongst themselves do little to add to the content themselves.  They insist that they cannot bear to look at his contributions (yes, this member does have his own threads in which he posts his tributes) yet when they log in to the forum they sit and watch his threads, waiting...waiting...!  It would be so easy just to ignore them....

Recently, like any good member should, our young man purportedly committed what seemed to be a mortal sin; he posted a couple of tweets on the twitter thread!  

"He's taking over the twitter thread too now!" the cry went up.  It would be amusing if it were not so indicative of what is happening within the Susan Boyle community as a whole.  It seems to me that the natural balance of members has been lost on many forums, due to previous 'partings of the ways' of Susan Boyle fans. 

At The Susan Boyle Fan Forum  we believe that one person's freedom to post should not be up for a vote by other members, particularly when a member is posting positively and respectfully and supporting Susan Boyle.  

We will not be held to ransom in that way by small packs baying for blood.

*"'after all we aren't savages really...'"
- William Golding, Lord of the Flies, Ch. 11

Just Some of Reasons Why Susan Boyle Qualifies For Her Honorary Degree.

On 11th April 2009 something extraordinary happened in the field of popular entertainment.  A 'wee woman' from a council estate in Blackburn, West Lothian, auditioned for Britain's Got Talent, singing 'I Dreamed a Dream' from the musical Les Misérables.  She appeared rather eccentric in the way she looked and behaved, leaving the audience expecting little by way of talent.  However, Susan's outward appearance belied a wonderful voice, so rounded and resonant, that when she sang the audience fell at her feet.  This juxtaposition caught the attention of the world. Susan did not sing simply wearing a mask of sincerity; she lived it, and we recognized that when we heard her sing. Here was someone to whom we could all relate in one way or another....

Susan Boyle touched so many people on a deeply emotional or spiritual level that it was almost impossible to convey by written word.  Instead, her audition was posted on Youtube and became viral almost overnight; such was the effect her voice had on people.  The video received over 90 million hits in an incredibly short time.  Susan Boyle, ready or not for the fame that accompanies such an event, became the stuff from which legends are made.

Despite appalling pressure from the world press, Susan showed grit and determination, staying in the contest and eventually being placed second in the final round.  Despite being emotionally and physically drained, Susan showed her usual courage and went on tour with other acts from the show, bringing the house down at each performance.  Susan Boyle may not have won BGT by votes cast, but she surely won the hearts of the people, and her achievements since then have been truly remarkable:

2009:

• In September Susan travelled to LA to debut her new single 'Wild Horses' on America's Got Talent, to worldwide acclaim.

• Susan Boyle recorded her first album, which debuted at number 1.  At 48 years old, she was  the oldest singer in history to achieve such spectacular success.  Her album, 'I Dreamed a Dream' became the best-selling album of 2009, in less than 2 months.  In fact, it was the best-selling debut album by a female solo artist ever.

2010:

• Susan Boyle's acclaim spread around the world.  She performed in Europe, Asia and the United States. She won the 'Gold Disc Award' for top international artist in Japan, and the '14th Golden Chinese Music Award' in China.  In both 2009 and 2010 she sold more albums around the world than any other UK artist.

• Susan's Autobiography 'The Woman I Was Born To Be' was published, giving insight into Susan's earlier life; the difficulties she experienced and some aspects with which she continues to do battle. 

• Susan performed for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in Scotland, in front of a live audience of 70,000 with television coverage that reached a billion viewers, thus fulfilling another of her lifelong ambitions.

• Susan's second album, 'The Gift', also opened at number 1.  She was the first woman to have her first 2 albums debut at number 1 in both the US and the UK within 12 months.   She also became the first solo female artist in US chart history to debut at number 1 on Billboard 200 with a Christmas album.

• ScotsCare, the charity for vulnerable Scots in London,  announced the winner of 'Scot of the Year' 2010 as  Susan Boyle.  She received support from around the world to secure a phenomenal 95% of the vote  - the largest share ever recorded in the history of the award.

2011:

• Susan Boyle's third album, 'Someone to Watch Over Me',  once again debuted at number 1. Susan became the first woman in UK chart history to have her first three albums debut at number 1 in under 2 years.

• In the brief time since her BGT audition, Susan Boyle has earned well over 100 platinum and gold records.  Her sales around the world are currently estimated at around 20 million.

• Susan Boyle was presented with an 'Outstanding Achievement' award at the 2011 Scottish Variety Awards.

• Susan Boyle visited Australia and took the continent by storm.

2012:

• Susan Boyle achieved another lifelong ambition; to sing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee.  

•  A musical of Susan Boyle's life story starring Elaine C. Smith as lead role has been touring the UK. Susan Boyle made several guest appearances at these performances, singing live to standing ovations.  Susan Boyle the Musical 'I Dreamed a Dream' is scheduled to play at Edinburgh and Glasgow in September and October respectively. Tickets may be booked at this link: Susan Boyle the Musical

• Susan Boyle has already started work on her 4th album.

Does Susan Boyle Deserve an Honorary Doctorate?

Susan left school with two 'O' levels; not a great academic achievement.  But Susan Boyle's honorary doctorate has been awarded to her 'for services to the creative industries', and her astounding record of achievement in this field speaks for itself.  It would be easy to think of Susan as someone who has found fame because of a 5 minute video on Youtube, quite forgetting the time she served to achieve her ultimate goal; that of becoming a professional singer.

Susan Boyle has had her share of adversity.  She was born, deprived of oxygen, with a very poor prognosis.  Susan's childhood was not entirely happy as she became a target for bullies at school; a situation that persisted way into adulthood.  She is an artist who, like many great artists, has not found her hurdles easy to overcome. Susan Boyle is neither a stranger to courage, nor tenacity.

By Susan's own admission, she feels the only way in which she can express herself effectively is through singing.  She wanted to become 'a professional singer', and it took her the best part of 30 years to achieve that.  She persisted, attending auditions and voice training, as and when she could, along the way. She never gave up.  Susan Boyle had a vision; a dream, and she never let her eyes falter from her goal.

I believe in happy endings. When Susan Boyle accepted her degree from Queen Margaret University, she represented an idea of hope; of triumph and determination over adversity.  For that I applaud her, and those who recognized her worth when she was nominated. Does Susan Boyle really qualify for her doctorate?  In this writer's view she certainly does - in spades!

Lest we forget, let's take a quick look back at the amazing effect Susan Boyle had on the world:

  

Review of I Dreamed a Dream the Musical, The Hippodrome, Bristol

I took a friend along with me to see the show at Bristol, and we arrived at the theatre in good time.  Word was already out that Susan would not be appearing (no surprise to me anyway) but there were some very disappointed people around.

Once inside the foyer, we saw that notices had been posted to the effect that Susan would not be performing that evening - the last night, despite the fact that the posters for the show advertised a 'Special Guest Appearance' by Susan.

The set was simple, but effective.  The background of the set comprised a block of video screens which was used to good effect for background changes throughout the musical.  Various wooden chests that doubled as seats and costume containers were strategically placed in the foreground, with a staircase leading to a door offstage to the right of the stage.

Elaine C. Smith carried the show in my opinion.  She was entirely professional and told Susan's story well; a modern-day fairy story.  I would have been happy if it had been a little more gritty in parts, but for those members of the audience who were not as familiar as we are about Susan's journey, it probably worked to best advantage.  Elaine sang well, and in some ways her voice reminded me of Cleo Laine's.  It is very different from Susan's voice of course, but she performed well and was note perfect.

I was not overly impressed with the actors who portrayed Susan's parents.  Patrick Boyle was played by a competent baritone who sang with rather a lot of vibrato, and who (IMO) over-enunciated. I found it rather irritating.  Perhaps I am being overly critical, but I have decided to post my honest impressions here.

Bridget Boyle bore little or no resemblance to the images we have seen of her.  I always got the impression that Susan's Mother had a quick sense of humour and a lively wit; the actress playing her part failed to capture any of that.  I feel much more could have been made of the vital role she played in Susan's life.

Many of the songs recorded on Susan's albums appeared in the musical.  It was easy to recognise the lead up to them and I am left wondering if, perhaps, those songs were chosen with the musical in mind, or whether the musical was staged to 'fit' the songs!

What I felt did work extremely well were the scenes in which 'John' appeared.  How true they were to life, of course, we have no way of knowing, but they were extremely well acted; Susan coming across as rather shy, awkward and rather gauche, and John appearing as a very gentle, decent young man.

The scene in which Susan attended her audition was extremely good and really did appear to capture the essence of what we, as fans, managed to glimpse of that day, through various video clips.

All in all it was an enjoyable evening, but had Susan appeared it would have been altogether different.  Her presence would have made the fairy story a reality, but as the song says, 'but there are dreams that cannot be....' and so I can only hope that another opportunity will present itself in the future.  I am not holding my breath here....

On my way out of the theatre I did see copies of 'The Gift' for sale in the foyer.  I am sure there were some disgruntled members of the audience who had expected to see Susan perform, but I didn't hang around to have that confirmed.  People had bought tickets in good faith, expecting to hear Susan sing, only to find out on the day that she would not be appearing.

Am I glad I went?  Yes.

Would I make the effort to see it again with no guarantee of seeing Susan sing live?  I have to be honest; No.

The cost of attending the musical, including travel and hotel accommodation, dinner, etc., was over £250. This was not a cheap exercise and not one I am in a position to repeat too often without some assurance of seeing Susan perform.  It is simply not worth £250 to me, to hear Elaine sing through two hours again, regardless of how well she plays her role.