Kantine, Cologne, Germany12th November 2005
Sinead O'Connor and Sly & Robbie
This Line-up was promising an extraordinary concert, featuring Sinead O’Connor and Sly&Robbie. Anyone should have heard about Sinead O’Connor due to her hit from 1990 “Nothing compares 2U”. She is touring now until end of February through big and small concert halls all over the world with her second album released this year “Thrown down your arms”. This album impresses with good Dub, Roots-Reggae and dance hall sound.
Sly & Robbie
The Riddim Twins Sly&Robbie process rhythmic dodgy and aesthetic improved pop sounds from the third world with all the finesses of modern studio technology. Lowell Fillmore "Sly" Dunbar was born on 10th May 1952 in Kingston (Jamaica). Robert "Robbie" Shakespeare was born on 27th September 1953 in Kingston as well. In 1978 they founded their own record label “Taxi Records”. The band is as real Reggae-band as you would imagine one. Info: http://www.artistsonly.com/sly&robbie.htm
Music
Musically the band presents a mixture of Dub, Roots-Reggae and Dance-Hall. The seven men entered the stage just in time at 20.30 equipped with keyboards, guitars, drums, trombone and saxophone. To all these instruments the originally voice of lead-singer Sly was added. They present a sound that gives a good mood… not only within the audience. You could see that the musicians not only play their stuff but love it and live it. So far, “Sly & Robbie” released 19 records in different variations.
Musically the band presents a mixture of Dub, Roots-Reggae and Dance-Hall. The seven men entered the stage just in time at 20.30 equipped with keyboards, guitars, drums, trombone and saxophone. To all these instruments the originally voice of lead-singer Sly was added. They present a sound that gives a good mood… not only within the audience. You could see that the musicians not only play their stuff but love it and live it. So far, “Sly & Robbie” released 19 records in different variations.
Performance
The good feeling was written into the faces of the musicians. The audience was asked to sing along and they happily did so. But the main issue of “Sly & Robbie” is still the music and not an extended and extraordinary stage performance. The show was the musicians itself – they were making jokes and grimaces and were jumping all over the stage.
The good feeling was written into the faces of the musicians. The audience was asked to sing along and they happily did so. But the main issue of “Sly & Robbie” is still the music and not an extended and extraordinary stage performance. The show was the musicians itself – they were making jokes and grimaces and were jumping all over the stage.
Rating
Music 10
Performance 6
Sound 9
Light 3
Total 8 (7.6)
Music 10
Performance 6
Sound 9
Light 3
Total 8 (7.6)
Sinead O'Connor
Her bald head became her trademark – Sinead O’Connor (fully Sinead Marie-Bernadette O’Connor) belongs to the most controversial pop singers of the last two decades. The voice artist with the distinctive voice – who announced more than one time her withdrawal from the music business – became famous all over the world with her interpretation of the Prince-song "Nothing Compares 2U". Born in December 1966 in the Irish Glenageary (near Dublin), she escapes with 16 after a hard youth to study chant and piano. In the mid 80s she signed at Ensign Records in London and released just one year later her successful debut "The Lion and the Cobra". You saw her Irish pighead very well as she declined four Grammy Awards and joins the Rap-rebels Ice-T and N.W.A! instead. 1994 she released the album “Universal Mother” which consists of soft ballads with slight Hip-Hop influences. This album could not tie up with previous prosperities. In the meantime she even tried a career as opera singer. After six years she returned into the music business with the album "Faith and Courage" in 2000.
The year 2005 saw even the releases of two albums. The first one with the title „Collaboration“ (05/2005) does not contain any new song. But the atmospheric and compelling sequence of the tracks makes the album a self-contained release and gives the listeners the chance to newly explore Sinead O’Connor. The latest release "Throw down your arms" was a cooperation with "Sly&Robbie“ which whom she is on tour at the moment. This album shows a very new side of her. http://www.sineadoconnor.com/
The year 2005 saw even the releases of two albums. The first one with the title „Collaboration“ (05/2005) does not contain any new song. But the atmospheric and compelling sequence of the tracks makes the album a self-contained release and gives the listeners the chance to newly explore Sinead O’Connor. The latest release "Throw down your arms" was a cooperation with "Sly&Robbie“ which whom she is on tour at the moment. This album shows a very new side of her. http://www.sineadoconnor.com/
Music
Usually the support band leaves the stage, there is a small break and then the headliner enters the stage. But this time it was different. One guitarist stayed on stage and Sinead started her show with a more quiet acoustic song. The second song made the audience explode and “Sly&Robbie” returned on stage with the whole band to accompany Sinead who sang in unusual but very good reggae manner. This high spirits sound was lasting through the whole concert. Sinead presented a very convenient Roots-Reggae sound with her very special voice. The musical performance achieved all the expectations you might have had from a reggae concert even though Sinead not performed her hit “Nothing compares 2U” what might have been a slight disappointment for some people. But it seems she has quit with that time and is now playing the stuff she likes and what does her any good. And this is “her” reggae music at the moment.
Usually the support band leaves the stage, there is a small break and then the headliner enters the stage. But this time it was different. One guitarist stayed on stage and Sinead started her show with a more quiet acoustic song. The second song made the audience explode and “Sly&Robbie” returned on stage with the whole band to accompany Sinead who sang in unusual but very good reggae manner. This high spirits sound was lasting through the whole concert. Sinead presented a very convenient Roots-Reggae sound with her very special voice. The musical performance achieved all the expectations you might have had from a reggae concert even though Sinead not performed her hit “Nothing compares 2U” what might have been a slight disappointment for some people. But it seems she has quit with that time and is now playing the stuff she likes and what does her any good. And this is “her” reggae music at the moment.
Performance
Also during her performance the music was more in the foreground than a spectacular performance. But this does not mean that Sinead was not showing her fun on stage. Just the opposite - she was jumping just like other reggae musicians. This agility on stage was immediately transported to the audience. Two background singers added a lot to the good mood on stage. It was a very good concert that was living from the atmospheric mood of a small club.
Also during her performance the music was more in the foreground than a spectacular performance. But this does not mean that Sinead was not showing her fun on stage. Just the opposite - she was jumping just like other reggae musicians. This agility on stage was immediately transported to the audience. Two background singers added a lot to the good mood on stage. It was a very good concert that was living from the atmospheric mood of a small club.
Setlist
01. Jah Nu Dead
02. Marcus Garvey
03. ?
04. He Prayed
05. Y Mas Gan
06. Door Peep
07. Sacrifice ?
08. Curly Locks
09. Jah Prophet
10. Throw Down Your Arms
11. Vampire
12. Untold Story
13. Rivers Of Babylon
14. War
15. Downpressor Man
16. None A Jah Jah ...
-----------------------------------------------
17. Throw Down Your Arms
18. Keep Cool Babylon
19. Burial
20. Stepping Razor
01. Jah Nu Dead
02. Marcus Garvey
03. ?
04. He Prayed
05. Y Mas Gan
06. Door Peep
07. Sacrifice ?
08. Curly Locks
09. Jah Prophet
10. Throw Down Your Arms
11. Vampire
12. Untold Story
13. Rivers Of Babylon
14. War
15. Downpressor Man
16. None A Jah Jah ...
-----------------------------------------------
17. Throw Down Your Arms
18. Keep Cool Babylon
19. Burial
20. Stepping Razor
Rating
Music 10
Performance 9
Sound 10
Light 7
Total 9 (9.25)
Music 10
Performance 9
Sound 10
Light 7
Total 9 (9.25)
pictures by Lars Krüger
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