Post by davidhr on Mar 31, 2015 8:06:06 GMT -5
Lara continued with her North American tour this past week, filling in stops in Toronto and Miami. Various videos were taken at the different venues; below are links to complete (or almost so) titles from the different locales so far (the ones shown for Atlantic City are in addition to what was listed last week).
Atlantic City
Make Me Yours Tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdbExNVqSP8
Yelliel My Angel and Pas sans toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByY-gMdbYGs
Alfonsina y el mar and Make Me Yours Tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ1yzFNwOdE
Calling You and I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kITH_6r-dpk
Yelliel My Angel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=37SuwibKKaI
Montreal
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NISa2WWvU4
La Difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=feVgumOCoPY
Je Suis Malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxoGzgposzQ
Je Suis Malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZFXgp8e2xw
Je suis malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Enc0dp05lU
Il est lune: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhhoKsUHML0
Toronto
Caruso and Angel (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5AFHCECLhg
Je t’aime and J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A28yI7EzW14
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9HlcflkMg
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXiekSK0Jzs
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FixSgQS5GV4
Pas sans toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_9zqn3R4U
Pas Sans toi:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ONCOV537gs
Make Me Yours Tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-NpHPcP1fE
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IUjs7nLhlk
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwjdw3jgMOI
Mademoiselle Hyde: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9VDWhKhy0g
La Difference (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sXYfFGvI94&feature=youtu.be
Hollywood, Florida
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=378fFbLzd4g
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgEWAfDfMUc
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOyzOrOcTwI
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_8ey0C6_MI
Caruso: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EYnolcW3FM
Alfonsina y el mar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ0wXGT1hfY
Alfonsina y el mar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFqA8o2e3f0
Pas sans toi (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsV_steBl0I (with jokes)
Je suis malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR0vy7Ko10Q
La Difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv6fKlKfWA8
La Difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa7-chM-ps8
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsEIHAqheHY
Mademoiselle Hyde: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmrWOl5OqXM
Je suis malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwqAGiHQuug
As can be seen from the videos, Lara continues in very good voice, with highly responsive audiences. The setlist has undergone a little bit of alteration, as ‘La Difference’ and ‘Adagio’ were added to the set in Montreal, and then kept in at the following concerts. Several fans were kind enough to provide commentary on the different shows. From ‘Sandra Ellen Bock’, “I was at the Atlantic City show, having driven up from Maryland. She was wonderful....and more than quite attractive,,,,she was gorgeous....”
‘Cherilyn Joan Gumm’ provided the following report on the show in Montreal:
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“The Montreal show last night was nothing short of spectacular. Unlike last year’s show, there was an electricity and a warmth from the audience yesterday that made the night a very special one. You could tell that Lara was much more at ease on the stage this time around, despite her stating she had a cold. The simple fact that she received somewhere between 6 or 7 standing ovations tells the whole story of how much this Montreal audience had missed her. At the very end, after the encore of Adagio, she exited the stage but the audience remained on their feet, applauding loudly, until she came back and took another bow by herself. No additional encore song, but a noted second “goodbye and see you soon” gesture.
From what I recall, the setlist was as follows (though the order may be off, especially in the second half). It was lovely to see a slightly different set than the one from Atlantic City.
Je t’aime
J’y crois encore
Il est lune
Caruso
Angel
I will love again (ballad)
I guess I loved you
Alfonsina y el mar
La différence
Make Me Yours Tonight
Pas sans toi
Mlle Hyde
Je suis malade
Adagio
The venue was indeed pretty much full from what I could observe, which surprises me a little seeing as this show received next to no publicity or media attention. I guess the audience was largely made up of her core fan base and that’s still saying something since she’s been more or less absent from the Quebec cultural scene for over a decade now. But as she mentioned yet again last night, her roots are here…
One thing that stood out to me though (and you can see some other fans have commented about this on her page as well) is how she was careful to note that most of the show would be spoken in French. When introducing “Angel,” she apologized and mentioned that it would be the only English word of the night (obviously not literally, as she sang many of her songs in English). I think this is more symptomatic of Quebec’s language divide issues (and perhaps remnants of the old (absurd) criticism she used to get here for pursuing an international career by singing in English) than Lara’s own worry about speaking only French. In any case, I found it odd though it did not ruin the night for me, unlike some other fans.
Vocally, she was near flawless as I’m sure videos of the night will show as soon as they surface. I agree with David that “Caruso” has been particularly impressive, adding high notes in there she used to skip before. Most of the post-show comments I heard on my way out were positive. Seems the majority of people had a great time and thought Lara gave her all. Which of course only makes me yearn for another show in Montreal already…
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In comparison with the show in Atlantic City, ‘Calling You’ and the Russian song ‘Love Like A Dream’ were dropped. [Yelliel may well have been performed, for otherwise Lara would be one song short of the 15 she normally includes].
‘Lib Lim’ commenting on the show in Toronto: “Well, another beautiful performance by Lara in Toronto tonight Her choice of outfit and songs were the same as in Montreal, except she spoke English the whole time. She didn't intend to sing Adagio for the encore, but people were yelling it and clapping so she finally gave in and sang Adagio to "serve" the audience she did it magnificently, but I'm afraid she might have been strained at the end. I hope she's okay. We'll see what she does in Hollywood. The setlist was: Je t'aime; J'y crois encore; Il est lune; Caruso’ Angel; Guess I loved you; I will love again (ballad); Alfonsina y el mar; Make me yours tonight; Yeliel; La Difference; Pas san toi; Mlle HydeJe; Je suis malade; Adagio [hence similar to Montreal…].
‘Jon Kónovan’ wrote, “I had the privilege to be at the meet and greet in Hollywood, Fl last night. It was surreal, such a calm friendly beautiful angelic woman. It was amazing.” Julie Clift McGraw (from the Lara Fabian Voice of Passion) wrote, “She left the stage in Florida and we called for her to come back.. She came back and sang Adagio! Bravo Lara, the concert was amazing.” A video of Lara receiving applause at the end can be seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8DQU4WxoeQ. And pictures of Lara with fans there can be seen (thanks to ‘Lara Fabian Is Here’ and ‘Lara Fabian Connecting People) at: www.facebook.com/382393522416/photos/pcb.10153184109822417/10153184107657417/?type=1&theater
Additional photos for all the shows can be found at the Lara Fabian Brazil site, www.larafabianbrasil.com.br/
Lara seemed to be in a giddy mood in Florida, as evidenced by her ‘jokes’ in response to a late-arriving couple. By now, the aura of actually giving full concerts in the States is apparently wearing off – these are shows like everywhere else in the world (see her interview below, where she says that as a girl she dreamed of coming to the US for concerts).
In addition, Lara gave several interviews to Radio Canada, the first one audio only on 3-23 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI6RkF2Psa0).
In it she addressed the question of why so many Russians are coming to her concert in Toronto. She noted she has given many concerts there, and it is has been advertised to them. Concerning her ear injury, she said she had a chance to heal and forgive. Although she is offering multi-language concerts for the audience, she values French as the language in Canada where she grew up as an artist. Interestingly, she was recognized by the host as a Canadian citizen.
The longer and more probing interview took place for Radio Canada on 3-26, with the video available at
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWwuuWlOi9Y). Lara thought enough of it to put a direct link to it (http://t.co/wWEVCQNnaf) on her FB site. Here are the main points:
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**In response to the question of her ear injury, Lara said it was almost a bad memory. She provided the analogy of someone having to play the piano with a broken wrist. In her case, it required her to relearn another method of hearing what she was singing. As she has in the past, she indicated it was like a ‘bad gift’, one that allowed her to learn about herself in silence, not see herself as a victim but to understand the role of the accident in her life, the lesson for her soul. This was part of her trying to find ways to come to terms with it, using tricks like comparing it to more serious illnesses other people have.
**As for why she is so popular in Russia, she felt her emotions are shared by those in that country and eastern Europe, a type of romanticism. Furthermore she has been going back for a number of years and, in effect, building their interest.
**In response to the probing question of why she was working in Russia when it had done much to irritate the international community – and in her case in particular, with respect to homophobia, when she herself had written two songs against that – Lara said she was totally apolitical, passing her values along through her music in an apolitical way. This, she felt, would help to raise people up regardless of the leaders, to touch them directly. She said she had never been prevented from singing her songs there – and if that were to happen, she would leave.
**The reviewer persisted. Didn’t Lara have a role to play that was more political, since she went around the world (obviously not only to Russia, but to other western Asian states and eastern Europe, as well as some predominantly Moslem countries…). Doesn’t’ she think she could do more to have them take a step forward for human rights? Lara tried various types of answers. First she repeated her opinion that there were ways other than political. She then added that she didn’t have the requisite knowledge to jump into issues in Tunisia or Turkey or Morocco, as opposed to France or Belgium, the countries that were ‘hers’. She also didn’t know the best means of influencing these other leaders. She felt that she would have to spend her life in the politics of the country in order to make proper judgments, and it was not her choice to spend her life that way. She then said that others more experienced in that mode of action (she mentioned Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell) had tried and failed – “all their banter was not successful”. [These were actually bad examples, outside of Dylan’s early years; the latter two singer/songwriters mostly emphasized ‘affairs of the heart’]. Continuing on, she noted that her very appearance was a political expression. Reemphasizing that politics was not the métier in which she worked, although she knew the ‘grand lines of the problems’ in these countries’, she said she felt her music could act as a ‘detox’, a ‘smoothie’ to clean out poisons and settle emotions. The two songs that she wrote against homophobia, and some other small things she has done, were to elevate the consciousness a little bit, more like a taste of water in the ocean – she ended saying she just doesn’t have the clout to produce changes.
**The interview then shifted to Lara’s time in Quebec in the 90s when it was noted she became very popular as a ‘singer of voice’, and, back then, that was the popular mode in the U.S. as well (e.g., Mariah Carey). However, this has now become less popular – what was the place of a ‘singer of voice’ today? Lara admitted that the ‘musical landscape changes’, and singers use their instrument very differently today. That it doesn’t matter what people did in the ‘90s, they have to be capable of delivering as things are today. That music of today is not so much based on the ‘grand melodies', and to remain relevant we must ‘make very organic things’ with a ‘simplicity’ – that is what allows her to evolve. It is the song that matters the most. Her upcoming concerts have no more than 5 people on stage (mentioning the instruments), no more ‘grand deployment’. She actually did ‘art songs’ last year [i.e., Le Secret]. So: adapt to the times, simplify and enter the universe of music.
**What was the current measure of success? “Duration”. She noted that sales of discs today are so different from the time when she sold millions across the world.– big sellers now garner two or three hundred thousands an album, depending on the market. She feels she still sells a lot if it is prorated to the reality of what the market has become. To provide perspective, she noted that her concerts are in rooms ‘bursting at the seams’. She is still the girl who has the desire to continue, she is not sure why, but she has found a way to evolve and continue the account of her story through songs and voyages, without stopping.
**The interviewer then ‘returned to the past’. He noted that she had a contract with Sony that was then annulled. That she had a dance song that was played in all the American stores, and one had the impression that she was at the beginning of an American career. Then – silence on the radio – what happened to her American career? Lara took a moment to respond – she said the technical reason was that things at a moment were transformed and she was redirected towards Europe. The problem was that there were two labels involved [presumably Sony and Columbia who had joined together], and she gave the analogy of a general pushing a red button and all the soldiers walk in one direction, and then another general pushing a blue button, and then the soldiers all walk in another direction. The Record Label with which she had signed was forced to pass her on to the other Label, and they had different priorities. She noted that on ‘Conan O’Brien’ and on ‘The View’ she sang ‘Love by Grace’, leaving the audience wondering, ‘Is this the same girl who sings ‘I Will Love Again’ (the song one Label had thought would ‘open doors’ for her)? In effect, “There were partisans of two different directions and that if since the beginning one had released at least an Adagio or a Love by Grace, a song which truly represented me intrinsically, I believe there would have been more of a concordance and an alignment of the stars. And that’s speaking of an album which sold 3 millions world-wide despite the same song not being released everywhere. A schizophrenic reaction was generated in the public”. She concluded, “This is what happens when small artists sign big American contracts. I believe that is what happened with the American dream…”.
**The interviewer then asked would Lara still like to succeed in the States? She said “that when one wants to be an international artist of course one wants to succeed in England, in America, and one is just happy as a girl to come to the States. But, on further reflection, I was fortunate to be born into a multi-lingual family and I never had the feeling that I had to choose one language over another. I knew the journey would be difficult. You pose for me the question would I still like to succeed in the US . My response is, ‘why not?’ I would love to in Italy, in France, in Quebec, in all the countries where I have a chance to stroll”. She said she had been like an anxious child, with a lot of ambition for something that turned out to be relegated to a chimera, an impression, a quest for something one does not understand, that one sees a little like a mirage, and then finally one has to face that it is broken, after which one can do anything. And that might include [success in the States] because everything is possible in real life, but sometimes it takes luck for the song to turn a good way. [The interviewer interjected ‘timing’, to which Lara said, ‘exactly’]. She said she felt that if it were to happen it was ‘written’ [in the stars], but she said she is also someone who believes in exceptions to ‘destiny’, that one can “induce in a proactive way to bring what we want into our existence”.
**The interviewer then grew nostalgic, and with a lead-in noting that Sinead O’Connor had recently covered the song from ‘Police’ entitled ‘Nothing Compares to You’, wondered what Lara would like to redo from the past. Her response was direct and to the point – “Not anything”. For her, each song from the past was given to her audience – be it Je t’aime, J’y crois encore or Tout [in France/Belgium]; Tu t’en vas, Leila, Saisir le jour or, in particular, ‘Si tu m’aimes' in Quebec; Adagio and I Will Love Again in the U.S. and certain other countries in the world, with also ‘Je suis malade’ – they ‘are all a mosaic’ which she composed’. Of them she has many incredible memories, for each song she could provide anecdotes for the various places in the world they were performed. She sang ‘Je t’aime’ one way, and then 10 years later an entirely different way. ‘Tout’ she made into a bossa nova. She loves them all and transforms them with her voyages. The point is not to return to the past, or worry about suffering in the future, but to make use of the incredible power of the current moment, which is what she does when she goes on stage, it being a chance to fully live that moment, something that will never return.
**The interviewer tried one last time, obviously missing the days of Lara of old, riding high in Quebec. He noted that many of those songs were written with Rick Allison in Quebec, a beautiful creative period for her. Lara said yes it was the beginning of her career and all that, and there was some nostalgie and sadness about it, a ‘crying time’, and “when one has cried enough, then one deposits it in a place where one knows that it accompanies us, like an old silent friend, and that is what it is for me today”.
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Obviously a very intensive interview, and has been pointed out many times, Lara’s responses in Quebec are generally very honest and revealing. Its quality was such that it was then noted by the French media (e.g., PurePeople, www.purepeople.com/article/lara-fabian-emue-s-explique-sur-son-echec-et-accuse_a157225/1). Many of those topics can be thought of as ‘sensitive points’ for her, yet, as usual, she went along with them.
With respect to her giving concerts in countries with questionable human rights issues, Lara has to continually search for a way to justify her participation in light of her somewhat righteous stance on some of these issues. The one answer that she didn’t give here, which she has in other venues, is that some of the people in those countries need more than anything else enjoyment in their lives, and she helps them by providing it.
With respect to the ‘singer of voice’ issue – although she didn't focus on it, there are still ‘divas’ who make a proper living and are treated with great respect. They may not occupy the top of the charts, but quality and quantity have never been highly correlated in the arts, given the ‘bell shape’ distribution of human perception. Having fewer people on stage may signify a smaller-scale production, but as we can hear on the videos, Lara is still singing at the top of her voice, thankfully so.
With respect to her career in the States – undoubtedly, not having a coherent message to provide to the public scattered their attention, and lost her a chance to project an image people could grasp. But there were certainly other factors, a prominent one being Lara’s leaving on a tour of Europe right after her ‘breakout’ performances – and not coming back... She phrased it as being ‘redirected to Europe’, but apparently the tour had been set long before, when it was thought that the first English album would have been out for a year or more. The delay was at least partially caused by Lara herself, in the making of the album. We don’t know the whole story, but the ‘Stars’ had help in writing this particular story.
As to whether Lara could still succeed in the States – or in Italy for that matter (or, once again in France) – the ‘Stars’ will have less to say about that then ‘sweat, tears and determination’, none of which it is clear Lara has in the requisite degree. As she implied, she is no longer the amibitious girl, she has seen through the ‘chimera’ of success. She seems happy enough at the level of popularity she now has, playing to her fans and niche audiences, while expanding her appeal in a gradual way. We know she could be so much more – ‘singer of voice’ trends not withstanding – but if she’s happy as she is, who are we to complain? We still get to enjoy her music, and she is somewhat free of the burdens of expectations. And who knows, with someone of this quality, as Lara said, “everything is possible in real life”.
As to her ‘songs from the past’ – obviously, she is still doing them on this tour, and has continually throughout her career. She does carry them with her.
Finally, concerning Rick Allison – what appeared to be an apparent response from Rick Allison, that far from being an ‘old friend’, he was the subject of misery from her path – turned out to be false. His account was apparently ‘hacked’. Here’s his message (http://t.co/ZSFUQ9cN32) (in translation):
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Important corrective: Read.
I am sincerely sorry for the situation that occurred here on FB, this is not the first time, but my computer page has been hacked last night. I received messages from all sides, I will try to answer at best.
It goes very well to be an old friend, or still that Lara sings in the entire world. I feel the same pride for the past, and wish the best to the artist as I did here at the release of her latest opus.
Thank you for your understanding and good music to all!
Rick xx
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The next stop on Lara's North American tour is the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, Ca. tonight. A picture of the marquee (thanks to Lara Fabian Mexico) can be seen at:
www.facebook.com/LaraFabianfromMexico/photos/a.556367684417296.1073741826.556364357750962/822677881119607/?type=1&theater
And Lara has been doing some promoting for the next concert on in her schedule, after North America, as can be seen in her video for Stockholm, Sweden (April 20) at:
iconosquare.com/p/951983476431241451_1466578695
A photo of the ticket for it (from LaraFabianweb.com is at: www.facebook.com/246805652001644/photos/a.539506142731592.143232.246805652001644/1049349395080595/
In other news, concerning their ‘upcoming 2 CD release, ‘Odacity’ provided the following statement:
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The release date of "SELECTION" - Lara Fabian has been slightly delayed for administrative reasons, due to our efforts to expand the distribution of the album to various countries and territories. We are also working on making the remixes included in the album digitally available without any geographic restrictions. The exact date of release will be communicated as soon as it is established with our partners. We thank the fans for their patience !
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This was followed by the announcement today that the release date in Turkey is confirmed for April 28th. For those in other countries, it should be ‘imported’ via the fan FB page Lara Fabian Turkey.
In addition, 'Odacity' made available an extract from one of the remixes of ‘Make Me Yours Tonight’ that will appear on CD #2. A (non-vocal) portion of the music and beat (Tom York Club Mix") can be heard at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=449wvu_apBg
Also, the ‘Lara Fabian-PHQ site has a photo of Yiorgos Bellapaisiotis with Lara, with the legend, ‘Composer CD Remixes’, at
www.facebook.com/353946178085395/photos/a.353954938084519.1073741828.353946178085395/658123441000999/
Interesting photo(s) of the week: from Lara Fabian Est Ton Autre
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.646180015435666.1073741861.166959643357708/819865768067089/
from Lara Fabian Mexico (2005):
www.facebook.com/LaraFabianfromMexico/photos/a.556367684417296.1073741826.556364357750962/821958331191562/?type=1&theater
And as seen on a coupon, now on sale
app.box.com/s/owen9xp2bdc26fh2iq23iilmy28n6f7e
Only two more stops left on the North American tour: tonight in Beverly Hills, and Thursday night in Richmond, Canada. Assuming all goes according to expectations, fans there are in for amazing, memorable concerts, that ‘carrying the past along with them, like old friends’.
David
Atlantic City
Make Me Yours Tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdbExNVqSP8
Yelliel My Angel and Pas sans toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByY-gMdbYGs
Alfonsina y el mar and Make Me Yours Tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ1yzFNwOdE
Calling You and I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kITH_6r-dpk
Yelliel My Angel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=37SuwibKKaI
Montreal
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NISa2WWvU4
La Difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=feVgumOCoPY
Je Suis Malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxoGzgposzQ
Je Suis Malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZFXgp8e2xw
Je suis malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Enc0dp05lU
Il est lune: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhhoKsUHML0
Toronto
Caruso and Angel (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5AFHCECLhg
Je t’aime and J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A28yI7EzW14
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9HlcflkMg
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXiekSK0Jzs
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FixSgQS5GV4
Pas sans toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_9zqn3R4U
Pas Sans toi:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ONCOV537gs
Make Me Yours Tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-NpHPcP1fE
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IUjs7nLhlk
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwjdw3jgMOI
Mademoiselle Hyde: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9VDWhKhy0g
La Difference (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sXYfFGvI94&feature=youtu.be
Hollywood, Florida
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=378fFbLzd4g
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgEWAfDfMUc
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOyzOrOcTwI
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_8ey0C6_MI
Caruso: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EYnolcW3FM
Alfonsina y el mar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ0wXGT1hfY
Alfonsina y el mar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFqA8o2e3f0
Pas sans toi (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsV_steBl0I (with jokes)
Je suis malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR0vy7Ko10Q
La Difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv6fKlKfWA8
La Difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa7-chM-ps8
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsEIHAqheHY
Mademoiselle Hyde: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmrWOl5OqXM
Je suis malade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwqAGiHQuug
As can be seen from the videos, Lara continues in very good voice, with highly responsive audiences. The setlist has undergone a little bit of alteration, as ‘La Difference’ and ‘Adagio’ were added to the set in Montreal, and then kept in at the following concerts. Several fans were kind enough to provide commentary on the different shows. From ‘Sandra Ellen Bock’, “I was at the Atlantic City show, having driven up from Maryland. She was wonderful....and more than quite attractive,,,,she was gorgeous....”
‘Cherilyn Joan Gumm’ provided the following report on the show in Montreal:
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“The Montreal show last night was nothing short of spectacular. Unlike last year’s show, there was an electricity and a warmth from the audience yesterday that made the night a very special one. You could tell that Lara was much more at ease on the stage this time around, despite her stating she had a cold. The simple fact that she received somewhere between 6 or 7 standing ovations tells the whole story of how much this Montreal audience had missed her. At the very end, after the encore of Adagio, she exited the stage but the audience remained on their feet, applauding loudly, until she came back and took another bow by herself. No additional encore song, but a noted second “goodbye and see you soon” gesture.
From what I recall, the setlist was as follows (though the order may be off, especially in the second half). It was lovely to see a slightly different set than the one from Atlantic City.
Je t’aime
J’y crois encore
Il est lune
Caruso
Angel
I will love again (ballad)
I guess I loved you
Alfonsina y el mar
La différence
Make Me Yours Tonight
Pas sans toi
Mlle Hyde
Je suis malade
Adagio
The venue was indeed pretty much full from what I could observe, which surprises me a little seeing as this show received next to no publicity or media attention. I guess the audience was largely made up of her core fan base and that’s still saying something since she’s been more or less absent from the Quebec cultural scene for over a decade now. But as she mentioned yet again last night, her roots are here…
One thing that stood out to me though (and you can see some other fans have commented about this on her page as well) is how she was careful to note that most of the show would be spoken in French. When introducing “Angel,” she apologized and mentioned that it would be the only English word of the night (obviously not literally, as she sang many of her songs in English). I think this is more symptomatic of Quebec’s language divide issues (and perhaps remnants of the old (absurd) criticism she used to get here for pursuing an international career by singing in English) than Lara’s own worry about speaking only French. In any case, I found it odd though it did not ruin the night for me, unlike some other fans.
Vocally, she was near flawless as I’m sure videos of the night will show as soon as they surface. I agree with David that “Caruso” has been particularly impressive, adding high notes in there she used to skip before. Most of the post-show comments I heard on my way out were positive. Seems the majority of people had a great time and thought Lara gave her all. Which of course only makes me yearn for another show in Montreal already…
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In comparison with the show in Atlantic City, ‘Calling You’ and the Russian song ‘Love Like A Dream’ were dropped. [Yelliel may well have been performed, for otherwise Lara would be one song short of the 15 she normally includes].
‘Lib Lim’ commenting on the show in Toronto: “Well, another beautiful performance by Lara in Toronto tonight Her choice of outfit and songs were the same as in Montreal, except she spoke English the whole time. She didn't intend to sing Adagio for the encore, but people were yelling it and clapping so she finally gave in and sang Adagio to "serve" the audience she did it magnificently, but I'm afraid she might have been strained at the end. I hope she's okay. We'll see what she does in Hollywood. The setlist was: Je t'aime; J'y crois encore; Il est lune; Caruso’ Angel; Guess I loved you; I will love again (ballad); Alfonsina y el mar; Make me yours tonight; Yeliel; La Difference; Pas san toi; Mlle HydeJe; Je suis malade; Adagio [hence similar to Montreal…].
‘Jon Kónovan’ wrote, “I had the privilege to be at the meet and greet in Hollywood, Fl last night. It was surreal, such a calm friendly beautiful angelic woman. It was amazing.” Julie Clift McGraw (from the Lara Fabian Voice of Passion) wrote, “She left the stage in Florida and we called for her to come back.. She came back and sang Adagio! Bravo Lara, the concert was amazing.” A video of Lara receiving applause at the end can be seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8DQU4WxoeQ. And pictures of Lara with fans there can be seen (thanks to ‘Lara Fabian Is Here’ and ‘Lara Fabian Connecting People) at: www.facebook.com/382393522416/photos/pcb.10153184109822417/10153184107657417/?type=1&theater
Additional photos for all the shows can be found at the Lara Fabian Brazil site, www.larafabianbrasil.com.br/
Lara seemed to be in a giddy mood in Florida, as evidenced by her ‘jokes’ in response to a late-arriving couple. By now, the aura of actually giving full concerts in the States is apparently wearing off – these are shows like everywhere else in the world (see her interview below, where she says that as a girl she dreamed of coming to the US for concerts).
In addition, Lara gave several interviews to Radio Canada, the first one audio only on 3-23 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI6RkF2Psa0).
In it she addressed the question of why so many Russians are coming to her concert in Toronto. She noted she has given many concerts there, and it is has been advertised to them. Concerning her ear injury, she said she had a chance to heal and forgive. Although she is offering multi-language concerts for the audience, she values French as the language in Canada where she grew up as an artist. Interestingly, she was recognized by the host as a Canadian citizen.
The longer and more probing interview took place for Radio Canada on 3-26, with the video available at
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWwuuWlOi9Y). Lara thought enough of it to put a direct link to it (http://t.co/wWEVCQNnaf) on her FB site. Here are the main points:
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**In response to the question of her ear injury, Lara said it was almost a bad memory. She provided the analogy of someone having to play the piano with a broken wrist. In her case, it required her to relearn another method of hearing what she was singing. As she has in the past, she indicated it was like a ‘bad gift’, one that allowed her to learn about herself in silence, not see herself as a victim but to understand the role of the accident in her life, the lesson for her soul. This was part of her trying to find ways to come to terms with it, using tricks like comparing it to more serious illnesses other people have.
**As for why she is so popular in Russia, she felt her emotions are shared by those in that country and eastern Europe, a type of romanticism. Furthermore she has been going back for a number of years and, in effect, building their interest.
**In response to the probing question of why she was working in Russia when it had done much to irritate the international community – and in her case in particular, with respect to homophobia, when she herself had written two songs against that – Lara said she was totally apolitical, passing her values along through her music in an apolitical way. This, she felt, would help to raise people up regardless of the leaders, to touch them directly. She said she had never been prevented from singing her songs there – and if that were to happen, she would leave.
**The reviewer persisted. Didn’t Lara have a role to play that was more political, since she went around the world (obviously not only to Russia, but to other western Asian states and eastern Europe, as well as some predominantly Moslem countries…). Doesn’t’ she think she could do more to have them take a step forward for human rights? Lara tried various types of answers. First she repeated her opinion that there were ways other than political. She then added that she didn’t have the requisite knowledge to jump into issues in Tunisia or Turkey or Morocco, as opposed to France or Belgium, the countries that were ‘hers’. She also didn’t know the best means of influencing these other leaders. She felt that she would have to spend her life in the politics of the country in order to make proper judgments, and it was not her choice to spend her life that way. She then said that others more experienced in that mode of action (she mentioned Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell) had tried and failed – “all their banter was not successful”. [These were actually bad examples, outside of Dylan’s early years; the latter two singer/songwriters mostly emphasized ‘affairs of the heart’]. Continuing on, she noted that her very appearance was a political expression. Reemphasizing that politics was not the métier in which she worked, although she knew the ‘grand lines of the problems’ in these countries’, she said she felt her music could act as a ‘detox’, a ‘smoothie’ to clean out poisons and settle emotions. The two songs that she wrote against homophobia, and some other small things she has done, were to elevate the consciousness a little bit, more like a taste of water in the ocean – she ended saying she just doesn’t have the clout to produce changes.
**The interview then shifted to Lara’s time in Quebec in the 90s when it was noted she became very popular as a ‘singer of voice’, and, back then, that was the popular mode in the U.S. as well (e.g., Mariah Carey). However, this has now become less popular – what was the place of a ‘singer of voice’ today? Lara admitted that the ‘musical landscape changes’, and singers use their instrument very differently today. That it doesn’t matter what people did in the ‘90s, they have to be capable of delivering as things are today. That music of today is not so much based on the ‘grand melodies', and to remain relevant we must ‘make very organic things’ with a ‘simplicity’ – that is what allows her to evolve. It is the song that matters the most. Her upcoming concerts have no more than 5 people on stage (mentioning the instruments), no more ‘grand deployment’. She actually did ‘art songs’ last year [i.e., Le Secret]. So: adapt to the times, simplify and enter the universe of music.
**What was the current measure of success? “Duration”. She noted that sales of discs today are so different from the time when she sold millions across the world.– big sellers now garner two or three hundred thousands an album, depending on the market. She feels she still sells a lot if it is prorated to the reality of what the market has become. To provide perspective, she noted that her concerts are in rooms ‘bursting at the seams’. She is still the girl who has the desire to continue, she is not sure why, but she has found a way to evolve and continue the account of her story through songs and voyages, without stopping.
**The interviewer then ‘returned to the past’. He noted that she had a contract with Sony that was then annulled. That she had a dance song that was played in all the American stores, and one had the impression that she was at the beginning of an American career. Then – silence on the radio – what happened to her American career? Lara took a moment to respond – she said the technical reason was that things at a moment were transformed and she was redirected towards Europe. The problem was that there were two labels involved [presumably Sony and Columbia who had joined together], and she gave the analogy of a general pushing a red button and all the soldiers walk in one direction, and then another general pushing a blue button, and then the soldiers all walk in another direction. The Record Label with which she had signed was forced to pass her on to the other Label, and they had different priorities. She noted that on ‘Conan O’Brien’ and on ‘The View’ she sang ‘Love by Grace’, leaving the audience wondering, ‘Is this the same girl who sings ‘I Will Love Again’ (the song one Label had thought would ‘open doors’ for her)? In effect, “There were partisans of two different directions and that if since the beginning one had released at least an Adagio or a Love by Grace, a song which truly represented me intrinsically, I believe there would have been more of a concordance and an alignment of the stars. And that’s speaking of an album which sold 3 millions world-wide despite the same song not being released everywhere. A schizophrenic reaction was generated in the public”. She concluded, “This is what happens when small artists sign big American contracts. I believe that is what happened with the American dream…”.
**The interviewer then asked would Lara still like to succeed in the States? She said “that when one wants to be an international artist of course one wants to succeed in England, in America, and one is just happy as a girl to come to the States. But, on further reflection, I was fortunate to be born into a multi-lingual family and I never had the feeling that I had to choose one language over another. I knew the journey would be difficult. You pose for me the question would I still like to succeed in the US . My response is, ‘why not?’ I would love to in Italy, in France, in Quebec, in all the countries where I have a chance to stroll”. She said she had been like an anxious child, with a lot of ambition for something that turned out to be relegated to a chimera, an impression, a quest for something one does not understand, that one sees a little like a mirage, and then finally one has to face that it is broken, after which one can do anything. And that might include [success in the States] because everything is possible in real life, but sometimes it takes luck for the song to turn a good way. [The interviewer interjected ‘timing’, to which Lara said, ‘exactly’]. She said she felt that if it were to happen it was ‘written’ [in the stars], but she said she is also someone who believes in exceptions to ‘destiny’, that one can “induce in a proactive way to bring what we want into our existence”.
**The interviewer then grew nostalgic, and with a lead-in noting that Sinead O’Connor had recently covered the song from ‘Police’ entitled ‘Nothing Compares to You’, wondered what Lara would like to redo from the past. Her response was direct and to the point – “Not anything”. For her, each song from the past was given to her audience – be it Je t’aime, J’y crois encore or Tout [in France/Belgium]; Tu t’en vas, Leila, Saisir le jour or, in particular, ‘Si tu m’aimes' in Quebec; Adagio and I Will Love Again in the U.S. and certain other countries in the world, with also ‘Je suis malade’ – they ‘are all a mosaic’ which she composed’. Of them she has many incredible memories, for each song she could provide anecdotes for the various places in the world they were performed. She sang ‘Je t’aime’ one way, and then 10 years later an entirely different way. ‘Tout’ she made into a bossa nova. She loves them all and transforms them with her voyages. The point is not to return to the past, or worry about suffering in the future, but to make use of the incredible power of the current moment, which is what she does when she goes on stage, it being a chance to fully live that moment, something that will never return.
**The interviewer tried one last time, obviously missing the days of Lara of old, riding high in Quebec. He noted that many of those songs were written with Rick Allison in Quebec, a beautiful creative period for her. Lara said yes it was the beginning of her career and all that, and there was some nostalgie and sadness about it, a ‘crying time’, and “when one has cried enough, then one deposits it in a place where one knows that it accompanies us, like an old silent friend, and that is what it is for me today”.
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Obviously a very intensive interview, and has been pointed out many times, Lara’s responses in Quebec are generally very honest and revealing. Its quality was such that it was then noted by the French media (e.g., PurePeople, www.purepeople.com/article/lara-fabian-emue-s-explique-sur-son-echec-et-accuse_a157225/1). Many of those topics can be thought of as ‘sensitive points’ for her, yet, as usual, she went along with them.
With respect to her giving concerts in countries with questionable human rights issues, Lara has to continually search for a way to justify her participation in light of her somewhat righteous stance on some of these issues. The one answer that she didn’t give here, which she has in other venues, is that some of the people in those countries need more than anything else enjoyment in their lives, and she helps them by providing it.
With respect to the ‘singer of voice’ issue – although she didn't focus on it, there are still ‘divas’ who make a proper living and are treated with great respect. They may not occupy the top of the charts, but quality and quantity have never been highly correlated in the arts, given the ‘bell shape’ distribution of human perception. Having fewer people on stage may signify a smaller-scale production, but as we can hear on the videos, Lara is still singing at the top of her voice, thankfully so.
With respect to her career in the States – undoubtedly, not having a coherent message to provide to the public scattered their attention, and lost her a chance to project an image people could grasp. But there were certainly other factors, a prominent one being Lara’s leaving on a tour of Europe right after her ‘breakout’ performances – and not coming back... She phrased it as being ‘redirected to Europe’, but apparently the tour had been set long before, when it was thought that the first English album would have been out for a year or more. The delay was at least partially caused by Lara herself, in the making of the album. We don’t know the whole story, but the ‘Stars’ had help in writing this particular story.
As to whether Lara could still succeed in the States – or in Italy for that matter (or, once again in France) – the ‘Stars’ will have less to say about that then ‘sweat, tears and determination’, none of which it is clear Lara has in the requisite degree. As she implied, she is no longer the amibitious girl, she has seen through the ‘chimera’ of success. She seems happy enough at the level of popularity she now has, playing to her fans and niche audiences, while expanding her appeal in a gradual way. We know she could be so much more – ‘singer of voice’ trends not withstanding – but if she’s happy as she is, who are we to complain? We still get to enjoy her music, and she is somewhat free of the burdens of expectations. And who knows, with someone of this quality, as Lara said, “everything is possible in real life”.
As to her ‘songs from the past’ – obviously, she is still doing them on this tour, and has continually throughout her career. She does carry them with her.
Finally, concerning Rick Allison – what appeared to be an apparent response from Rick Allison, that far from being an ‘old friend’, he was the subject of misery from her path – turned out to be false. His account was apparently ‘hacked’. Here’s his message (http://t.co/ZSFUQ9cN32) (in translation):
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Important corrective: Read.
I am sincerely sorry for the situation that occurred here on FB, this is not the first time, but my computer page has been hacked last night. I received messages from all sides, I will try to answer at best.
It goes very well to be an old friend, or still that Lara sings in the entire world. I feel the same pride for the past, and wish the best to the artist as I did here at the release of her latest opus.
Thank you for your understanding and good music to all!
Rick xx
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The next stop on Lara's North American tour is the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, Ca. tonight. A picture of the marquee (thanks to Lara Fabian Mexico) can be seen at:
www.facebook.com/LaraFabianfromMexico/photos/a.556367684417296.1073741826.556364357750962/822677881119607/?type=1&theater
And Lara has been doing some promoting for the next concert on in her schedule, after North America, as can be seen in her video for Stockholm, Sweden (April 20) at:
iconosquare.com/p/951983476431241451_1466578695
A photo of the ticket for it (from LaraFabianweb.com is at: www.facebook.com/246805652001644/photos/a.539506142731592.143232.246805652001644/1049349395080595/
In other news, concerning their ‘upcoming 2 CD release, ‘Odacity’ provided the following statement:
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The release date of "SELECTION" - Lara Fabian has been slightly delayed for administrative reasons, due to our efforts to expand the distribution of the album to various countries and territories. We are also working on making the remixes included in the album digitally available without any geographic restrictions. The exact date of release will be communicated as soon as it is established with our partners. We thank the fans for their patience !
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This was followed by the announcement today that the release date in Turkey is confirmed for April 28th. For those in other countries, it should be ‘imported’ via the fan FB page Lara Fabian Turkey.
In addition, 'Odacity' made available an extract from one of the remixes of ‘Make Me Yours Tonight’ that will appear on CD #2. A (non-vocal) portion of the music and beat (Tom York Club Mix") can be heard at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=449wvu_apBg
Also, the ‘Lara Fabian-PHQ site has a photo of Yiorgos Bellapaisiotis with Lara, with the legend, ‘Composer CD Remixes’, at
www.facebook.com/353946178085395/photos/a.353954938084519.1073741828.353946178085395/658123441000999/
Interesting photo(s) of the week: from Lara Fabian Est Ton Autre
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.646180015435666.1073741861.166959643357708/819865768067089/
from Lara Fabian Mexico (2005):
www.facebook.com/LaraFabianfromMexico/photos/a.556367684417296.1073741826.556364357750962/821958331191562/?type=1&theater
And as seen on a coupon, now on sale
app.box.com/s/owen9xp2bdc26fh2iq23iilmy28n6f7e
Only two more stops left on the North American tour: tonight in Beverly Hills, and Thursday night in Richmond, Canada. Assuming all goes according to expectations, fans there are in for amazing, memorable concerts, that ‘carrying the past along with them, like old friends’.
David
