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I start this review with a sigh. Her preshow music was “Single Ladies”, which once again reinforces that Beyonce is Queen of the world… but as soon as Adele walked on the stage the night was hers.

I was hanging off her every note, I mean, she doesn’t have to do much… no dance moves… no big light show… no multi media… all she did was sing with the occasional wrist flip or shoulder shrug. Her singing is flawless… with a voice equal parts back rub, equal parts ear nibble, equal parts slap in the face and then equal parts kiss in the rain. She came out in her pajamas and still kept the sold out Massey Hall crowd transfixed. She had a couple of covers in her repertoire as she is only one album deep… some Dylan, some Etta, some Raconteurs, but it was her hits that got us. She had a great band behind her laying down nice soulful grooves (“Cold Shoulder” and “Chasing Pavements”), but she is the most effective when she’s up there alone, with either the bass (“Best For Last”…sigh #2) or guitar (“Daydreamer”…forever sigh), and that voice, which she has perfect command over. I’ve seen her before, but last night she had a little more growl to her singing. Maybe the last year has given her some life experience to add to her already wise beyond her years essence? I mean…really… she wrote her hit album at 19? She is for sure a reason to believe in reincarnation. While I’m having serious man-cry moments in the audience, she’s totally casual… like this is how she does when she’s washing dishes in her flat or folding laundry. I could have taken a bath in her singing for another five encores.

Pop-Killah, British Invading pop since 2004.

PHOTOS BY JADE MARAVILLAS

Posted: April 30th, 2009 | Category: Daily Fix