Sarah and Friends Tour 2010/11

[Islandflyer]

Here's for you:
http://rapidshare.com/share/584C56A50FC ... 5668A781C8
Ed, feel free to download this file it you want too (there are three mp3 inside).

Thank you, Karine! I had wondered if there were any live versions of that song, but hadn't found anything. You're right about how one's tastes and interests in music changes. A decade ago, I wasn't "ready" for her music, because I was into completely different music. I've wondered if maybe my sudden interest, starting several years ago with other artists with emotionally intense songs, is part of a mid-life crisis. If so, I'm enjoying the ride. If nothing else, her music makes me feel a lot younger!

I'm finding I like songs from across her whole spectrum, and can't say I really prefer any one over another; the one I'm listening to at one moment is my "favorite", then another comes up and I get into that. Backdoor Man is a favorite, for instance, (as is Sweet Surrender and U Want Me 2) and I love the ambiguity and mysterious nature of her songs that seem a part of this one. Although "all of your life you've lived in a world as pure as Eden's sixth day" seems pretty clear; as a comment on how we live in our own bubbles and ignore the suffering around us, among other things. Her use of metaphors to illustrate the ideas in her songs is lovely, and I think she is as good at that now as 20 years ago.

Maybe having a fresh perspective, and being able to listen to all this music over a short period, instead of experiencing it piecemeal over many years alters the way one reacts to it, as well. I've found myself drawn to the majority of her songs in one way or another, and I hear a fairly consistent high level of writing ability in her music, although her musical style and singing has varied a lot. Or maybe it's all still too new for me to be "jaded by the years". Hope not.

So I do hope I get a chance to see her perform some day. Now for the live versions of yours, Karine...

[Karine]

She is great live and I wish I could see her again soon. My sister told me the concert with the orchestra was stunning, but I don't know if she will do it again.

[Islandflyer]

She is great live and I wish I could see her again soon. My sister told me the concert with the orchestra was stunning, but I don't know if she will do it again.

I was really impressed with the live versions of "Time", esp. the Madison Square Garden one. It's really a goose-bump maker, for me Not sure what it is about that song, but the combination of the poetic lyrics and the plaintive way she sings it always gets to me. Like so many of her songs, it fits a certain situation precisely, Was it a certain prescience she had then? I know the feeling.

Do you know of a live version of "Circle", Karine? I like the song's lyrics and melody, but I don't care for the way the backup singing is produced on the album. Hard to explain. I'd like to hear it differently, somehow. Maybe it's too close to the truth, and I really don't want to hear it!

[Karine]

I was really impressed with the live versions of "Time", esp. the Madison Square Garden one. It's really a goose-bump maker, for me Not sure what it is about that song, but the combination of the poetic lyrics and the plaintive way she sings it always gets to me. Like so many of her songs, it fits a certain situation precisely, Was it a certain prescience she had then? I know the feeling.

Do you know of a live version of "Circle", Karine? I like the song's lyrics and melody, but I don't care for the way the backup singing is produced on the album. Hard to explain. I'd like to hear it differently, somehow. Maybe it's too close to the truth, and I really don't want to hear it!

I have only one live version of Circle and I don't know when she sang it (no date, no reference to the concert, maybe during the FTE tour).
http://rapidshare.com/share/5CF07D2FC0B ... 4BE2249598
In fact, we hear the backup singer more in the live version than in the album version, so I'm not sure it's what you're looking for.

[Islandflyer]

I was really impressed with the live versions of "Time", esp. the Madison Square Garden one. It's really a goose-bump maker, for me Not sure what it is about that song, but the combination of the poetic lyrics and the plaintive way she sings it always gets to me. Like so many of her songs, it fits a certain situation precisely, Was it a certain prescience she had then? I know the feeling.

Do you know of a live version of "Circle", Karine? I like the song's lyrics and melody, but I don't care for the way the backup singing is produced on the album. Hard to explain. I'd like to hear it differently, somehow. Maybe it's too close to the truth, and I really don't want to hear it!

I have only one live version of Circle and I don't know when she sang it (no date, no reference to the concert, maybe during the FTE tour).
http://rapidshare.com/share/5CF07D2FC0B ... 4BE2249598
In fact, we hear the backup singer more in the live version than in the album version, so I'm not sure it's what you're looking for.

It sounds good, Karine. Since it is a live recording, it doesn't have that feel of being "produced" characteristic of a studio version. So, this spontaneity makes it more interesting to listen to, at least for me. Most everything I've heard of her live shows seem better than the studio versions, perhaps because of this aspect. Knowing that I'm hearing her singing the song in the moment, and it's not the result of a lot of tweaking and overlaid tracks, makes it somehow more meaningful. So yes, this is better. Thank you. I see in the bootleg section there is a show that was in Toronto in 1993 that has this song in the setlist, so maybe it was that one (Massey Hall, Toronto, 25 Nov. 1993). Sometimes the studio versions do sound better overall, but nothing can beat a live performance, for me. How about you? I haven't actually seen a live performance, but I'd sure like to.

Ed

[Karine]

I went to one of her concert in Montréal, during the Afterglow tour in 2004 and it was fantastic. The thing is that I don't remember all the details about the show, it was almost 10 years ago!
If you saw the DVD of the tour, well, it's pretty much what I heard that evening. My sister went to other concerts, more intimate this time (in smaller venues) and she said it was great too. Sarah is a good performer and seeing her live is different from hearing the songs on albums.

[TheSquirrel]

Here's for you:
http://rapidshare.com/share/584C56A50FC ... 5668A781C8
Ed, feel free to download this file it you want too (there are three mp3 inside).

Thanks Karine, that was the first Sarah McLachlan I've heard in a very long time. I had almost forgotten what that voice sounded like. At one time I knew all the songs and most of the lyrics, but recently I struggled to name 10 McLachlan numbers. Considering I once listened to something from her nearly every day for about five years, maybe a break was needed. The cease and desist lawyer's letter to Blackened Sky was possibly one of the reasons I stopped listening, and overkill plus interest in other artists took their toll. We all move on in some way.

The Time tracks are great, and are a reminder of how good she is. Completely different arrangement and treatment to the album version, but that song like most of her songs, is so strong it can be sung in many different ways.

It's been a strange old year, my mother, plus partner's mother both with Alzheimers, I got out of business, so poker now my only source of income, then low and behold I have my first losing year at that since 2004 - thankfully not a bad one, just borderline loss, but any losing year Is bad. On the plus side I have more money than I've had for a while. Now maybe I have gone back to thinking about life the way I did 30 years ago - life is to be enjoyed because it's very short, and you only get to do it once. Time is running out and I do not intend to go peacefully into the infinite abyss. Only difference is at my age I now enjoy different things, but the intent and spirit is the same.

Take care Karine, Ellie, Islandflyer, Quincy, Jessel, Empire Jim, jessiemonkey, and whoever else is left on here.

As a late addition, the McLachlan songs I could remember (apart from the overdone Angel), were Time, Touch, Lost, Building A Mystery, and Fear, oh and Possession of course, almost forgot I remembered it. I even forgot the name to one of my favourites - Shelter, couldn't for the life of me remember the name, even though I could hear the tune in my head.

[Karine]

Thanks Karine, that was the first Sarah McLachlan I've heard in a very long time. I had almost forgotten what that voice sounded like. At one time I knew all the songs and most of the lyrics, but recently I struggled to name 10 McLachlan numbers. Considering I once listened to something from her nearly every day for about five years, maybe a break was needed. The cease and desist lawyer's letter to Blackened Sky was possibly one of the reasons I stopped listening, and overkill plus interest in other artists took their toll. We all move on in some way.

The Time tracks are great, and are a reminder of how good she is. Completely different arrangement and treatment to the album version, but that song like most of her songs, is so strong it can be sung in many different ways.

It's been a strange old year, my mother, plus partner's mother both with Alzheimers, I got out of business, so poker now my only source of income, then low and behold I have my first losing year at that since 2004 - thankfully not a bad one, just borderline loss, but any losing year Is bad. On the plus side I have more money than I've had for a while. Now maybe I have gone back to thinking about life the way I did 30 years ago - life is to be enjoyed because it's very short, and you only get to do it once. Time is running out and I do not intend to go peacefully into the infinite abyss. Only difference is at my age I now enjoy different things, but the intent and spirit is the same.

Take care Karine, Ellie, Islandflyer, Quincy, Jessel, Empire Jim, jessiemonkey, and whoever else is left on here.

As a late addition, the McLachlan songs I could remember (apart from the overdone Angel), were Time, Touch, Lost, Building A Mystery, and Fear, oh and Possession of course, almost forgot I remembered it. I even forgot the name to one of my favourites - Shelter, couldn't for the life of me remember the name, even though I could hear the tune in my head.

A few weeks ago, I played a few of my "Sarah files" on my media player. I was doing some cleaning at the same time (washing the dishes, doing the laundry), so I didn't pay attention to all of the songs but at one moment, Fear began and I was thinking "What a great song!". I couldn't remember when was the last time I heard it. It was probably when my sister sent me the videos she made while attending the symphonic concert in 2012. The orchestra gave a great twist to the song and I was glad to know that she still enjoy singing it.

Yeah, I remember the cease and desist letter. In French, we would say that it did "l'effet d'une douche froide" (literally a "cold shower effect"). I think you would say "to come as a blow", but in French, this means that something unpleasant happens without any warning. We are now more careful when we want to share some files (mp3, exclusive pictures, ...), because I'm sure Ellen doesn't want to receive a similar letter. Witchy, who was in charge of Blackened-Sky, is now working in politics so it's easy to imagine how bad it would be for her career if she had more legal troubles with Nettwerk.

Anyway, it's all behind us now!

Take care too and happy Holidays!