Concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

[Rowy]

Lynda and I have just returned from tonight's concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Janis excelled herself as usual and the very large audience (1,000) was very responding. The atmosphere was not as intimate in such a large venue and it was impossible to see Janis' facial expressions and lovely smiles from where we were sitting, but it was a great experience to be with so many Janis fans.

We had to rush away to catch the last train back home and went out after the first encore - Joy - to be first in the queue for signing. Just our bad luck that Janis did a second encore - Jesse. We are now back home but Janis is probably still signing!!!

Here is the set list - 19 songs - is that a record?

From Me To You
Danger Danger
Crocodile Song
Love is Blind
Society's Child
Old American Folksong
The Great Divide
Fly Too High
I Hear You Sing Again

Tea and Sympathy
Here Comes the Night
All Those Promises
Watercolors
Haven’t I Got Eyes
My autobiography
At Seventeen
Between the Lines

Encore 1 Joy
Encore 2 Jesse

[Chet]

Rowy

Thanks for the quick review before going to bed!

Yes, 19 is a record. Our Brighton show featured 17 songs, including the encore.

[Agnes]

Thanks Rowy!


(I think she did 19 in Amsterdam too! Lucky us :D)

[David from London]

I think this was probably the best performance I've seen from Janis in a larger theatre - and I've seen quite a few.

Whatever the size of the audience, Janis seems to have an ability to conduct a conversation as well as produce some brilliant versions of our favourite songs. I know that you're not supposed to laugh at a Janis Ian concert :D but there were numerous occasions last night when the hall erupted into laughter, especially when she sang the Old American Folksong. Tears ran down my cheeks, which doesn't happen that often! Maybe it's partly because with Janis you can always hear the words.

Janis is also reviving a number of older songs which she hasn't played for quite a long time. Rowy has given the set list, so I won't say which ones, but there were several which I hadn't heard live for years. And the new live versions are better than the originals.

It's always difficult when you take people to see Janis who've never seen her before. Will they like her? Will they remember songs other than 'At seventeen' or 'Fly too high'? Will she be on top form? Last night she was on top form - a real entertainer and a real person - and my friend who hadn't seen her before went home very impressed.

[Chet]

David

Before she embarked on the current tour, Janis did mention two particular oldies that she would including in the set list. One was "Applause, Applause", which she did in the American part of the tour in March. The other, which she sang both at the London show, as well as in Brighton and other UK venues, is "Here comes the night".

"Here comes the night" is of special interest to me because I actually first heard a Cantonese version and when I heard Janis's version, I went digging for the Cantonese version and found it. I posted about it on the old board, complete with an audio clip combining both versions, and at the recent UK LRC, gave Janis a copy of the CD as well as a concert DVD of the singer who did the Cantonese version. The singer, Paula Tsui, sings it at every concert, along with another JI song, "I love you best", which she says are her two favourite songs.

[dutchcloggie]

Janis saing Here come sthe NIght in Birmingham as well but not Applause Applause.
I will post the setlist of Birmingham soon. Sorry, I stole it but forgot to share it with all you Rudies.

Looks like the london list was very similar (only 2 songs different) to the Birmingham one.

[Manchester]

Thanks for posting the list Rowy, what a shame you had to leave before the second encore. When Janis did Jesse in Amsterdam I was speechless, and yes, the kleenex were out!

I love the mix of the old songs with the new David, isn't it brilliant that we are all transported through the years in only two hours? (no pun intended there)

I am so looking forward to Sunday, seems there will be a few Rudies there too.
:)

[Eva]

Wow! That sounds like a fantastic concert. The setlist appears to be quite similar to the one in Amsterdam. I was very pleasantly surprised then to hear so many 'old' songs too.

I don't know how Janis does it (especially when there is no ice ;) ), but every concert she does is high quality. It's amazing...!

And I must say that I laughed through at least half of the concert in Amsterdam. I'm afraid Janis is losing her reputation for making people depressed. Even with the 'old' songs... ;)

Eva

[CD Matthew]

... for the timely setlist!

I was very interested to hear about Janis doing "Applause Applause" and wondered how she'd arrange this for just solo guitar (it's such an elaborate--and haunting--arrangement on the record). Alas, she didn't include it on the program when she was here in Mass. So I'll hope to catch it another time.

Sounds like a wonderful evening. Thanks again for the report!

CD Matthew

[david uk]

Thanks for the write up Rowy!

Yes, Agnes she did 19 songs in Amsterdam too- I seem to remember the Billie's Bones tour contained more talk and fewer songs, or am I just imagining things:p