Sade live in concert

This past Sunday I dragged Ray to see one of my favorite singers ever, Sade, whom I’ve followed for at least 25 years.

I had longed for the date to arrive ever since I bought the tickets, and therefore my expectations were pretty high.  Well, she met and surpassed them in spades.

John Legend was the opening act, and he did a very good job.  He has a powerful voice and opened with his cover of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep, which practically brought the house down.  I didn’t really know him before, but he’s a very good singer, and very handsome too.

Once he was done, they cleared the entire stage off, which seemed very unusual.  Where’s Sade’s equipment I wondered.  Then, her act began and I understood.  The staging was, apropos, totally minimalist.  There were 4 square moving platforms that housed part of the musicians.  The other 3 were standing in front of the squares.  Sade, who came up from a stair opening directly onto the stage, moved around but mostly stayed front and center.

The set list spanned her entire career, ensuring to please every fan in the enthusiastic audience.  The band was fantastic, with great solos from several of the musicians, some of whom have worked with Sade for decades.

My greatest fear, especially after having seen Mariah Carey live, was that Sade’s smooth, soft vocals would be inexorably drowned by the loud sounds now common in live shows.  Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, proving that loud isn’t always better or necessary and that good sound mixing is possible even when singing live.  Her voice was spectacular at any and every tone she sang.  Not only that, I was actually surprised to hear how powerful and wide her range is!!

Another impressive element was the use of digital lighting that enhanced the minimalist stage throughout the show.  Lights were precisely timed with the music and either hit the bottom of the moving platforms or the back of the stage.  Videos were also projected on the background with several of the songs, adding a music-video feel that made the experience that much better.

One other cool and simple effect was achieved with the use of a sheer veil that enveloped the entire stage and onto which more lights and images were projected.  Even without any light effects though, the veil had the benefit of creating a mystical mood, perfectly accompanying the songs.

One of the most spellbinding moments came when Sade sang the beautiful and sad Pearls by herself with the image of a huge warm sun for background.

This was one of the best concerts I ever attended and showed me how less is more when pure, raw talent is involved.  I’ve enjoyed spectacular concerts by Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Bette Midler who all make wide use of props or backup dancers on stage.  This time, all that was on display was really the music and the voice of the artists, and it was amazing.

Sade and her musicians seemed to have a great time too, creating an almost intimate feeling even though there were thousands of people present.

Seeing Sade live was a truly unforgettable experience and I hope I’ll be able to see her again someday.