Thursday 17 March 2016

Natalie Merchant @ The Royal Albert Hall, London


A much waited for gig, never thought she would come over to the UK again so when the gig was announced, snapped up two tickets immediately although was rather disappointed with our location.
The ability to get even a half decent video clip disappeared fast, not only because of the ushers who were on the look out, but the sheer distance to the stage. My big Nikon was more than match for that but having a large screen showing would have curtailed that opportunity. Was in fact stopped videoing using the small GoPro I also came armed with, and still amazed that I was stopped because I thought I had disguised it in my hand rather well. Did shot off two songs but the result as I was aiming by instinct was not what I hoped for. Here is that evidence.

But the gig, a very pleasant two and a bit hours including three numbers sung in a continuous encore. She started the first number five times forgeting the lines to her own song. A first for me, was she nervous? That all disappeared once she got going. One number near the end she ended up crying with the emotion she had put into the song. Then at the end another sight I cant recall seeing before as she went down and hugged a large number of the audience.
The band consisted of keyboards, acoustic bass, drums and guitar and a string quartet. Several shouts for various songs was dismissed by reminding the audience that with a string quartet on stage, those sort of songs just would not get performed.
Midway through she gave a very tempered rant against Donald Trump, hoping that he would just implode.
So an evening of introspection, reflection and lament. and THE VOICE, which soared un-restrained through the vast domed cavern that is the RAH.
Final thought, she was rather respectful of the setting, her set totally fitting the venue.

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