Annie Lennox closed out her Songs of Mass Destruction tour last night at Boston's Symphony Hall. Latennox was on tour in support of Eurythmic's second album last time I saw her, and in the intervening years she has achieved greatness as a musician and thinker. And there was something about the concert last night that left me feeling honored to have witnessed it.
Lennox has been such a strong force in my life for so many years that I had to be there. And she was amazing. But, she was amazing in spite of...
In spite of the fact that her voice was raw and harsh. Thank goodness for her this was the last stop on the tour. I don't think she could have made it through another stop.
In spite of the fact that the projections detracted so much from the performance. For almost every song that has had a video, images from the video projected on the screen about her head. Only once was a live shot used. That only made those of us farther from the stage want more live shots. But no. When the screen was used effectively--particularly with "Dark Road" and "Sing"--the effect was dramatic. But most of the screen time was wasted with stock images from years past.
But the set list was perfect. She gave stirring renditions of classics and new songs, often in new, interesting arrangements. She, unexpectedly, included a healthy dose of Eurythmic songs, including the classics and, better, the best (e.g., "There Must Be an Angel" and "When Tomorrow Comes.")
The chatter was very limited, but nice. And it was always front and center that the night was special because it was the last night of the tour.
Songs of Mass Destruction is the best of Lennox's four solo albums. She's still out to change the world, and the concert made that all the more clear...and possible.
Oh yeah, Rosie and Kelly were there, too. It was fascinating to see the wave across the audience as people realized she was there. Thanks to Rosie for posting this:
All in all, a pretty phenomenal experience!
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