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Little Noise Sessions: Sinead O'Connor, St-John-At-Hackney - review
By
John Aizlewood
28 Nov 2011
Despite appearances, Sinead O'Connor has not been idle of late. The thrice-married mother of four proudly announced she had her fallopian tubes tied this year.
Meanwhile, she gained weight as if an international chocolate shortage was on its way and then lost most of it once she stopped taking medication for what she argues was falsely diagnosed bi-polar disorder.
Oh, and there was September's offer to shoot The Pope should he visit Ireland; an offer the Irish people may choose not to take up.
Last night's breathtaking final instalment of Mencap's lovingly curated Little Noise Sessions saw this turbulent, truculent 44-year-old, with amounts of baggage rarely seen beyond a Heathrow carousel, reclaim her artistic reputation.
The trouble magnet moved little and said even less. Shaven-headed, not quite the waif of yore and dressed in long leather coat, leather bodice, leather trousers and giant heels, she looked part-East German border guard, part-camp biker - but when this most intense and fearless of performers is on her game she's electric. My, how she crackled...
Dedicated to Gary Speed, an a cappella I Am Stretched On Your Grave was a five-minute, spine-tingling, stomach-tightening tour de force; The Lamb's Book Of Life made you seriously wonder how Irish reggae failed to catch on and she even wrung new life from her 21-year-old chart-topping version of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U.
Of the superlative new fare, the impossibly jaunty 4th And Vine found O'Connor at her most light-hearted; the coiled Bono-baiting venom of What Is A Real VIP? is a grenade waiting for its pin to be removed; the harrowing Reason With Me was a heroin addict's tale encased in luxurious melody, and Old Lady was deliciously flirty.
Sinead O'Connor has seemed lost for some time. On this evidence, she's found herself again. Extraordinary.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (3)
many great artists over the decades have disappeared into a musical wilderness only to re-emerge a decade or so better, stronger and more importantly true superstars of the music industry. often these people were or still are troubled souls and sinaed well and truly fits into this catagary. a stunning debut album followed with increasingly less sucessful albums before a number of rather poor self indulgent misses. then nothing for ten years ( apart from regular headlining tirades against the pope and the RC church ) sunday at st johns at Hackney proved beyond doubt that the queen of rage is back with a vengence, and without question proclaimed as loudly as she could. . . .watch out 2012. . . sinaed is a true megastar and the release of her new album in february will be a massive milestone in a glittering albeit chaotic career. get tickets for her tour next year you wont regret it
- jim, london, 30/11/2011 21:01
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I am glad that my highlight seems to have been the same as everyone else's. 'Stretched' was just magnificent. Her voice throughout the gig sounded good & I am really looking forward to the new album, judging by what we heard on Sunday night. Sinaed is back!!
- Simon, ENFIELD, 29/11/2011 23:04
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Sinead was fantastic last night, all the recent critiques regarding her so called 'fall from grace' can eat their words. She looked and sounded outstanding, like it was 1990 all over again.
Highlight was the unaccompanied performance of 'Im stretched on your grave' and her new song 'Reason with Me'.
She is up there in my top 5 gigs for sure......
- Chris, Wandsworth, 28/11/2011 13:38
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