Suzanne Vega is a veteran performer, having taken her unique musical talents on the road for most of the last 27 years, since her debut album and it’s iconic tracks ‘Marlene On The Wall’ and ‘The Queen & The Soldier’ were released back in 1985. Both of these songs were aired again at this week’s gig in Islington’s Union Chapel…
This unusual religious building (which frequently hosts musical performances, and even cinema screenings on occasion) was packed to the rafters with Suzanne’s dedicated London fans for an evening which spanned her entire output, from the aforementioned first album to material from 2007’s ‘Beauty & Crime’. She was accompanied on this musical outing by Dublin-born but New York-based guitarist Gerry Leonard, who helped to add some depth to her acoustic guitar accompaniment. Starting her set with a jaunty top hat set on her head, Suzanne treated the expectant crowd to beautiful renditions of many of her hits (I swear that her voice improves with age) including a particularly bouncy performance of ‘Tom’s Diner’ and my own personal favourite, ‘In Liverpool’. We also got to hear a few tracks from the new musical that she has been developing in Greenwich Village, “Carson McCullers Talks About Love” – here’s hoping we get to see it performed in London soon (I know of several fringe London theatres that would kill to put on a production!). It also slipped out in her dialogues with the audience that her new album of original material is likely to see the light of day sometime in 2013…
Suffice it to say that if you like your folk-infused pop energetic yet at the same time thoughtful and poignant, then its time to check out some of Suzanne Vega’s material. Here’s the official recording of that special song about one of our Northern cities that I still find deeply touching…
The current Suzanne Vega tour continues around the UK for another week or so, with a final performance on the Isle of Wight on June 24, before she returns Stateside.
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