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. 

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: