rumer and dionne at the Royal Albert Hall

[nowmedical]

Did anyone go to the RAH? Was it any good?

[GehVorbei]

Unfortunately, I couldn't fly to London from Germany this time but we saw Dionne here in Berlin here last week.

And there are some nice pix in the local media here from the Royal Albert Hall show.

[GehVorbei]

And one more with Sir Cliff Richard...

[gillanddon]

To report back ..I have just returned from London and saw 'Dionne and Friends' at the Albert Hall last night! What an amazing evening, one of the best in my life. The scene was set .. fabulous summer evening, the Royal Albert Hall overlooking the park and stunning looking relaxed capacity crowd of 5,500 people .. hugely exotic mix from all over the world. I have seen Dionne in concert three or four times here in the UK but last night she was absolutely outstanding. Completely in her element .. looking absolutely fabulous she was on stage for three and half hours hosting this extraordinary event for this huge project which she fronts .. The Hunger Project. She was accompanied by three wonderful backing singers, her travelling band managed by Joe, The London Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Gospel choir and a choirs from schools etc.

Dionne opened with 'A Pocket Full of Miracles' followed by 'Walk On By' which received a huge appreciated response from her huge enthusiastic audience. Going on from there she sang as either solo or as duets .. and whoever she sang with sang on their own as well .. the list too long but I'll stick to Burt's songs here. 'I Say a Little Prayer' with Boy George, 'Always Something There' .. solo, 'Hasbrook Heights' with Rumer .. beautiful beyond belief!!, 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' with Cliff Richard, 'The Windows of the World' Solo .. exquisite with single spot, 'The Look of Love' .. solo .. stunning, 'Heartbreaker' with Alexandra Burke, 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again' with Mica Paris' .. that was perfect. An ASTOUNDING 'I'll Never Love This Way Again' she sang alone again with a single spot and full orchestra which brought the house to their feet in a standing ovation.

I don't know what it was but she held us all in her hands, very strong vocally and she drove this massive event and these brilliant musicians on to an inspiring conclusion of 'That's What Friends Are For' but even then she sang most of the song before she brought to the stage .. (as she says 'can we welcome to the stage SIR Cliff Richard'!) .. all the other vocalists.

A really special evening. It had an informal air but was quite glitzy at the same time .. this is the second one and created a huge amount of media attention so hopefully there will be another next year.

Could go on and on but that was an evening and that was one powerful voice. Her energy was amazing .. I don't know any artist who is giving out that much for that long in that heat.

[someonenameddavid]

Do you know if Rob Shrock was playing keyboards?

David

[Rio]

here he appears right away.
not so early in here.

[Bruce Bernard Williams]

Thanks so very much Rio for sharing those links to the Royal Albert Hall's "World Hunger Day". Dionne's performances were simply spectacular, nothing like her performance of "That's What Friends Are For" from the Golden Camera Awards back on February 4, 2012. If these two (2) clips from the Royal Albert Hall are indicative of her future project coming out in September, then I think we're all in for a real treat! Her voice is still strong, beautiful, and astounding!

[gillanddon]

To answer your question someonenameddavid .. it was Rob Shrock .. sorry! Not Joe as I said late last night. He was great and seemed to be on the spot controlling choirs, the orchestra, backing singers etc.

[GehVorbei]

Review from the Guardian that is a bit critical of everybody but Dionne:


Dionne Warwick – review
Royal Albert Hall, London
3 / 5
Ian Gittins
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 30 May 2012 18.05 BST

In the 1960s, Dionne Warwick became the muse and conduit for more than 30 immaculate pop nuggets by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Now she is undertaking a world tour to mark a 50-year career that has seen her remain a pop-soul icon, while rarely rescaling such precipitous aesthetic heights.

She launches the tour by compering this annual charity gala in aid of the Hunger Project, an event that demonstrates how showbiz schmaltz is as ingrained in her DNA as her interpretive abilities. The slew of MOR performers lauding her is like a Radio 2 playlist, yet it's impossible not to yearn for fewer guest cameos and more Warwick.

At 71, she remains twinkly eyed and folksy, qualities that come in handy when forced to introduce Katie Melua plugging her new single, Tony Hadley bellowing Gold and a shiny-suited Cliff Richard jitterbugging through Devil Woman. Sure, let Joe McElderry sing Don't Stop Believin', but does he really need to reappear for Nessun Dorma?

The duets sequence is less grisly, with the understated Warwick guiding a homburg-sporting Boy George through I Say a Little Prayer, and dovetailing neatly with Rumer on Bacharach and David's underrated Hasbrook Heights. It's also oddly sweet to hear an overwhelmed Alexandra Burke pause from remassacring Hallelujah to thank her host for "everything what you've done for the music industry – you're an absolute legend!"

The evening's undoubted highlight arrives when the silver-haired Warwick is left alone to ease through a handful of her vast reservoir of piquant pop gems: Walk On By, There Is Always Something There to Remind Me, I'll Never Love This Way Again. Thankfully, her solo dates will have more of these moments and fewer showbiz chums.



© 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.

[GehVorbei]

The night after the Royal Albert Hall concert Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones presented her with the Icon Award at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards. Whoever is doing PR for her now is doing a great job.

[Toms1234]

Rumer and Dionne Hasbrook Heights