SEPTEMBER 2007

21 London, UK, Royal Albert Hall:
Peace One Day Concert

Fiery Lennox Sings For a Ceasefire
The Times: Peace One Day Concert

Fiery Lennox Sings For A Ceasefire

By Chris Elwell-Sutton
Evening Standard 24.09.07

Friday marked the highest-profile event so far for the eight-year-old Peace One Day campaign - a movement devoted to the worldwide adoption of an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. As is always the case when celebrities and good causes come together, there were a few occasions on which the worthy gave way to the downright cringe-worthy, but Annie Lennox's appearance at the top of the bill brought the night to an electrifying conclusion. A speech about humanitarian issues by an infuriatingly handsome Jude Law was followed by the bearded, benevolent presence of Yusuf, formerly Cat Stevens. An updated version of Peace Train and a cover of Saturn by Stevie Wonder were pleasant enough, although a couple of old favourites would have been appreciated. After a rather embarrassing sponsored appearance by Linford Christie, James Morrison took the stage to inject some real soul into Wonderful World. Annie Lennox was a worthy headliner, bringing the crowd to their feet with her breathtaking voice as she opened with a sensitive rendition of Little Bird. Walking on Broken Glass gave the 52-year-old a chance to show off her uniquely animated stagecraft. The crowd was made ecstatic by Sweet Dreams and her 1992 hit, Why, provided a heartfelt encore.

The Times: eace One Day Concert

David Sinclair at Albert Hall

The mass appeal of pop music has been harnessed to promote charitable ideals since Live Aid and before. But the Peace One Day concert, nominally starring Annie Lennox, took the idea way too far, sandwiching bite-sized chunks of music in between thick wedges of well-meaning rhetoric from a variety of speakers and corporate sponsors. In his keynote speech, the film-maker Jeremy Gilley, a Bob Geldof figure without the worry lines, expressed satisfaction with the progress that his Peace One Day organisation has made in getting September 21 to be recognised formally as World Peace Day, an initiative that has been endorsed by the United Nations no less (General Assembly resolution 55/282). “It’s not a dream, it’s a reality! The case is closed,” Gilley exclaimed, eyes shining with missionary zeal. A host of other speakers, including the actor Jude Law, the athlete Linford Christie, Prince Azim of Brunei, the Australian activist Gregory David Roberts, the UN spin-doctor Ahmad Fawzi (a highly polished performance) and the American ice-cream makers Ben (Cohen) and Jerry (Greenfield) all trooped on to give their own ringing endorsements of the project. Along the way there were a couple of songs each from a nervous Kate Nash, a rather formal Marc Almond accompanied by a choir, a subdued Corinne Bailey Rae, an impassioned James Morrison and the jubilant Young People of St Peter’s High School. The lights remained on throughout in the auditorium – to facilitate the filming of a DVD - and quotes and slogans on behalf of POD continued to drift across the screens above the stage during the performances. Unsurprisingly, none of the acts had a chance to get going. Lennox finally arrived, and immediately lifted the event to another level, the intensity of her star voltage underlining just what a dreary, pious affair the two-hour preamble to her appearance had been. Dressed unfussily in spangled black, her cropped platinum hair and neon smile as radiant as the Moon, she swept through Little Bird, Walking on Broken Glass, Dark Road, There Must Be an Angel and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) with a brisk, imperious authority. Her clear, soaring soprano remained true and she somehow poured heart and soul into songs that must be as familiar to her by now as the back of her hand. But it was too little, and much too late, to shake loose this glorified talking shop from its suffocating cocoon of woolly idealism. y John Aizlewood
Evening Standard 16.08.07

Here come the Eighties again: but Lennox gives her catalogue an overhaul that is often brilliant

Now a sprightly 52, albeit with the blonde-streaked hair of a 25-year-old, Annie Lennox has been making records for 30 years - and if her work has never been as lauded as Kate Bush's or as influential as Joni Mitchell's, presumably almost 80 million album sales and an Oscar ease the pain of rejection.

Not one of life's workhorses and silent on record since 2004's laboured Bare, with last night's show she marked the dawn of a new campaign for a new record, the surprisingly lissom Songs Of Mass Destruction.

Appropriately for a multi-millionaire, she looked in fine fettle, despite reinventing the mercifully now-unfashionable notion of wearing a skirt over trousers. Perhaps she hasn't been out since 2005.

And perhaps, too, she was nervous, for she was in no mood for banter. A good thing, of course, if the hectoring Caledonian fishwife of yore is forever banished, but a few words or a choice anecdote concerning the old material - has she really no tales to share? - would hardly have scared the horses.

Meanwhile, an explanation of the three new songs she unveiled - the intriguing, stately Dark Road, the very Eighties-style Smithereeens or the finger-clicking Ghosts - might have been wise, not least for when the nation tunes into last night's show (Radio 2, 8pm on 25 August).

Musically, Lennox had a problem too - though not with her voice, which still broods as naturally as Gordon Brown's once she relaxes. As her music will be forever redolent of the Eighties and Nineties, it needs a radical overhaul.

And in this, for the most part assisted by the BBC Concert Orchestra, she succeeded brilliantly, hence the ominous Here Comes The Rain Again, seemingly always destined for orchestration and now transmuted into a glorious swirl. And for a moment there she was almost sexy. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) was given the full orchestral treatment as Lennox borrowed David Bowie's stage moves and wailed her way through the free-form passages with a vim and vigour that suggested this most reluctant of performers was having something approaching a whale of a time.

Even that unheralded rarity, A Thousand Beautiful Things, was an oasis of flamenco-led loveliness. But Cold remained too cold and No More "I Love Yous" was so mannered she might as well have mimed it.

When she jettisoned the orchestra, Lennox shone too. Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves (the song that seems unaware women are allowed to vote, let alone that they are "Doctors? Lawyers? And politicians too?") was as ludicrous as ever, but featuring only Lennox on piano, plus her two backing singers and taken at a furious pace, it transcended its own stupidity.

Afterwards, to the delight of a cowed crowd, recording difficulties during Here Comes The Rain Again, No More "I Love Yous" and Little Bird meant she had to reprise those songs. On this showing there might just be a reprise for Lennox too - despite herself.

Music review: Annie Lennox Rocks

by Malcolm Mackenzie. Thursday, 16 August 2007

As flawless comebacks go they don’t get much better than this.

She may have been away for a while but at this specially recorded gig for BBC Radio 2 in front of an intimate crowd of fans at The Mermaid Theatre in Blackfriars Annie Lennox did a lot to confirm the old adage about class being timeless.

The 52 year old Scottish singer who found fame with eighties super duo Eurythmics looked amazing in a simple black slip dress, trousers and sequined waistcoat and sounded equally stunning.

She opened uptempo with Little Bird from her 6 million selling album Diva, followed by Walking on Broken Glass and number two hit No More I Love Yous which gave me chills. It may have been for radio but the platinum haired singer sacrificed none of her theatricality.

Lennox who was joined onstage by the impressive BBC Concert orchestra as well as her backing band previewed 3 tracks from her forthcoming album Songs Of Mass Destruction: Smithereens, Ghosts in My Machine and brooding new single Dark Road all of which showcased her superlative Rock N Roll and Soul voice.

Lennox also performed old favourites with new arrangements like Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) and Here Comes The Rain Again which drew audible gasps of appreciation at its first notes.

It was a perfect performance, but to quibble, one thing was lacking from the newer material – oomph. Decades after they found fame Kate Bush and Bjork are still as experimental and boundary prodding as ever, if only Annie would grasp back some of the bite and unsettling cutting edge which inspired the likes of Marilyn Manson and made us fall in love with her in the first place.

But this was for Radio 2, the audience were mostly middle aged and she has simply matured with them.

The concert can be heard BBC Radio 2 on Saturday 25th August between 8.00-9.00pm

Raygigs

Annie Lennox With The BBC Concert Orchestra live at The Mermaid Theatre,EC4.
This was an invite only show for 500 comp winners and BBC guests.We were row 3 of this all seated venue.Backed by an orchestra of around 30 Annie played a superb 90 mins show.She has sold over 78 million albums with Eurythmics and solo over the last 30 years and has won awards galore inc grammys,brits and even an oscar.A great mix of hits and a few tracks off soon to be released new album "Songs Of Mass Destruction".From the start her voice was clear and full of passion on "Little Bird","Walking On Broken Glass","No More I Love Yous" then 3 new tracks inc "Dark Road".The orchestration all through the set was great and the two backing singers were perfect. The songs were all taken to a higher level. "I Saved The World Today","Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves","Here Comes The Rain Again" and "Why?"were also excellent.Encores were "Sweet Dreams" and then repeats of "No More I Love Yous","Here Comes The Rain Again" and "Little Bird".A fantastic show and the only downside was there was nobody filming it for BBC TV.Quality. The show is on Radio 2 at 8pm on Sat 25 August.

Does My Bomb Look Big in This

Annie still stunning at age 52
By Rick Fulton

STUNNING Annie Lennox shows she's still got it in a photo-shoot for her new album.

The 52-year-old - glammed up in a black tutu-style dress and a top hat - is surrounded by explosions on the cover of Songs OfMass Destruction.

The mum to two said: "I just think I'm very fortunate to be healthy and my spirit feels a bit ageless and ancient at the same time."

An insider said: "Annie looks like a phoenix rising from the flames. There is introspection in this album but it is also uplifting and very pro-women."

Songs Of Mass Destruction - out on October 1 - will include an all-star line-up on the track Sing. The "feminist anthem" features 23 top female singers including Madonna, Celine Dion and KT Tunstall.

Aberdeen-born Annie - an HIV and AIDS activist - recorded a gig with the BBC Concert Orchestra yesterday that will go out on Radio 2 on August 25.

Annie said she is so busy these days she wishes she could clone herself.

The ex-Eurthymics singer said: "It's not easy trying to balance my family life with my artistry.

"There are so many places and people I'd love to perform."