Sinead O'Connor - Goodnight, Thank You, You've Been a Lovely Audience

Starring:SinÃ©ad O'Connor
Studio: Eagle Vision USA
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

She's an original, that Sinead O'Connor, even when taking on a repertoire as old and seemingly as intractable as her homeland's own rocky shore. The Irish singer draws liberally from her 2002 Sean-Nos Nua recording in this Dublin concert, holding her audience rapt while bringing a rich, full, almost New Age sound, strings and synth pads galore, to "Molly Malone" and other haunted "songs of the Irish soul"--as well as to "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "Fire on Babylon," both of which benefit from the update. There are no frills here, just the music (about 70 minutes' worth). That's admirable, but O'Connor's voice--powerful but a wee bit strident--becomes wearisome after a while. Even so, an excellent band, superb sound, crystal-clear visuals, videos of six Sean-Nos Nua songs, and even a 30-minute documentary about the album make this a memorable document, whether or not she follows through on her retirement plans. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Where Is Sinéad O'Connor?.......2006-03-29

Could this possibly the same Sinead O'Connor who railed her lyrical defiance through live concerts a decade ago? O'Connor was something else back in the days, her anger often seemed genuine and her deliverance always honest, but very raw.

O'Connor returned to her roots in 2002 with a tribute album to old Irish folk tunes, and the reviews were generally good. A concert tour followed and the tour of Ireland was her first in years. Anyone but O'Connor would have turned these cliches into even bigger cliches, but unlike most singers of her age and heritage, O'Connor possesses a genuine understanding of these ghost songs.

She opens the show with the hauntingly painful, Molly Malone, in which she truly delivers. She even sings in her native language on "Oro, So Do Bheatha Bhaile" which has subtle hints of reggae jabs.

It seem as though she's sacrificed the raw power she had a decade ago for a more subtle approach to each of her songs. The difference stands very clear on her old songs "I Am Stretched on Your Grave" and "Nothing Compares 2 U".

Her voice, not that different than it was a decade ago, but she rarely ventures into her old self, only on "Fire on Babylon" can you spot a little something of her former self. I firmly believe in evolving and maturing as an artist, but it wouldn't hurt her to venture into her old mode, if for but nothing else, her fans.

The extra material is always great fun to watch, and the documentary is equally entertaining. All in all, O'Connor is still a class performer, but maybe she's sacrificed a little too much of her old self for her Rastafarianism and deep conviction.

An amazing emotional performance.......2006-02-14

After watching this DVD,you will realize that Sinead O'connor is a real human being and not just a controversial rebel who ripped up the Pope's picture and sports a shaved head,but also a loving mother and singer.Sinead's live verision of "Molly Malone" is amazing,every time I watch her perform this song my father and I break down to tears it's so emotional.Sinead nearly cries at the end of most of her songs and the audio on this DVD is just like being there(take my advice,I've seen her live)or listening to the CD,only much more powerful.I strongly recommend all serious Sinead O'connor fans to purchase this moving DVD!!!!

great voice, great music.......2004-05-29

great concert, amazing voice, and an interesting documentary as an extra.

Superb performance.......2004-05-03

I love this DVD. Not only do you see a 68-minute live concert given by Sinead O'Connor in Dublin in 2002, but you also have a 60-minute documentary Song Of Heart's Desire made at around the same time. This program describes the inspiration behind the great singer's recent album of traditional Irish folk songs Sean-nos Nua, and it was screened on TV last year. This prompted me to buy this disc. Very few singers I have seen on TV or in concert can convey such emotional intensity as Sinead O'Connor. My favourite track here is You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart, which is excellent, and she also gives a stunning performance of Fire On Babylon. The folk numbers are also very strong, and I like them a lot. I highly recommend this DVD to people who like great singing and who have any interest at all in traditional Gaelic folk music.

Amazing Performence!.......2003-10-04

When this DVD was released I nearly melted because I had never seen Sinéad live. And seeing this DVD almost made me feel like a part of the audience. The shots of Sinéad and the band are great. I think the best part of this concert is Sinéad's voice. From the opening track to the last, Sinéad whispers her songs and sings as if to attack. Her voice is very rich and has amazing powers.
I think the only problem with the performance is that it was so short. Sinéad could have easily performed a few more songs. She didn't seem exhausted at all! But taking the songs she did play into consideration, I was very pleased with the selection. The only song which I actually considered boring was The Last Day of Our Acquaintance. But songs such as Nothing Compares 2 U (which is reconstructed in such a beautiful way that it no longer is annoying from being overplayed), I Am Stretched On Your Grave, Fire on Babylon and Thank You For Hearing Me made this concert orgasmic! Trust Me! I got chills watching and hearing it.

As far as the other features of the DVD, the recording of Sean-Nos Nua was very nice, but the videos were kind of, hmmm, boring. I have to admit I could actually not sit through them.

Having said that, the concert is worth the price, if not much more!

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