Elly Roberts reviews
Sarah McLachlan: Afterglow Live
Distributed by
BMG/Arista
- Cert:
- Cat.no: 82876645079
- Running time: 138 minutes
- Year: 2004
- Pressing: 2004
- Region(s): All, PAL
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English
- Widescreen: 16:9
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £17.99
- Rating: 10/10 (Music); 6/10 (DVD)
- Extras:
Bonus 70 minute live concert on CD, Bonus behind-the-scenes footage
including a backstage tour with Sarah’s dog Rex
Fall into the arms of an angel for a 140 minutes.
This fantastic double-package by Canada’s finest songwriter,but not singer
(that prize goes to kd lang). Sarah McLachlan brings 2004’s wonderful
Afterglow collection to the live arena.
After a lengthy hiatus that included her mother’s death and birth of daughter
India, it was a welcomed return for the highly acclaimed Canadian
contemporary-folk star. Caught on film during her nine week tour she thrilled
the huge venue with songs that were also lifted from previous albums Fumbling
Towards Ecstasy (1993) and Surfacing (1997).
In a relaxed mood, flanked by a wonderful set and band, (with some outstanding
guitar work by Sean Ashby), she played her own favourite songs from a now
considerable back-catalaogue. Delighted to re-engage with her adoring fanbase,
it was clearly a great thrill to be on the road again.
Technically, it’s standard filming (multi-angled shots) of her performance at
the huge Molson Amphitheatre Toronto, but a real music lover’s concert. The
setlist was badly balanced, as there are long periods of similar paced songs,
until it picks up a pace towards the final quarter.
McLachlan first came to my attention a few years ago via her brilliant single
Angel. If Dido (with whom she’s regularly compared with) hadn’t hit the
big time in 2001, she would have become the new sensation in the UK.
The three-time Grammy award winner, found herself needing to change her
songwriting methods for Afterglow. Her normal practice of endless months in a
log cabin writing songs was reshaped by the arrival of her first child, as she
could only manage a couple of hours a day, which makes this album even more
remarkable.
Bringing the album to life turned out to be a masterstroke. It brought her
back into the limelight in front of sell-out crowds on both sides of the
Atlantic last year. Most of the set consists of slow to mid-tempo melancholic
ballads, broken here and there in the last stage by some effective rockier
sojourns, that lift the atmosphere considerably. Whether it be piano, electric
or acoustic guitar,she delivers the goods.
Extras include a short peak into her pre-concert preparations and leisure
time in Lighthouse Park Vancouver, lyrics page and merchandise details.
You can also experience most of the gig on a 70 minute CD.
Star tracks: Stupid, Witness, Angel, Fallen, Adia, Train Wreck and Ice Cream.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
