http://groups.yahoo.com/g...rentdarby/

Saw TTD at the London Forum last night. The clubsize, theatre venue soon filled up come showtime and the show lasted around an hour and a half.

To be fair the band were adequate IMO, they held down the tune in the background and gave TTD a chance to shine playing guitar, keys and of course running through his distinctive dance repertoire. Admittedly the Italian four-piece didn't command attention individually aside from the guitarists few solos which he handled fine. No real backing vocals.

To the best of my recollection this was the setlist...

Main show (Not in correct order):

-Wishing Well
-Dance Little Sister
-Sign Your Name
-I'll Never Turn My Back On You
-Delicate
-Let Her Down Easy (Alone on piano)
-Supermodel Sandwich
-Holding On To You
-O Divina
-My Dark Places
-What Shall I do?
-Testify
-Vibrator
-She Kissed Me
-You Will Pay Tomorrow
-Do You Love Me Like You Say You Do
-Sayin' About You

Encore:

-Moon River (Acapella)
-Jumpin' Jack Flash

Thoroughly enjoyable show, spoke to TTD afterwards and got my "Wildcard: Jokers Edition" signed.

Anyone else here attend?
[This message was edited Sun Nov 24 11:47:12 PST 2002 by Essence]

Shame he didn't play Designated Fool and more from Neither Fish Nor Flesh but that's a pretty fine setlist.

And damn! He didn't play Seasons or Turn The Page, two of his finest. Shame!

Cloudbuster said:

Yeah only the one NFNF song as I remember. I would have liked to have heard "If You Let Me Stay" and "Billy Don't Fall" but as you say overall a damned fine setlist.

Essence! Great Review! I absolutely love Terence Trent D'Arby (Sananda Matreiya)! I would love to see him return for engagements in the states, (but I know too well the red-tape bullsh-- in this joke of a record industry he would rather not deal with, (I don't blame him one bit!)). I miss him! But I continue to enjoy his music and I will be checking him out on some future tv programs.

Props too you Essence for the Review.

How was the version of "let her down easy"?

One of may fave songs ever!

Pity he didn't do "If we all get to heaven"

SquirrelMeat said:

Yeah, it was beautiful, just T sat at the piano with gradual light accompaniment from bassist and drummer.

I love the song also, it's one of those that hits me emotionally, just the melody alone leaves a palpable sense of melancholic reminiscence.

"Did she kissed me" rock?

I wish I'd gone!

SquirrelMeat said:

Sure did, he laid down on edge of stage and err let the girls (and boys?) kiss him. Whether they kissed him "there" or not, I can't confirm. Obscured view.

I was at the show with a couple of friends and we all left hip and happy. TTD has such an incredible back catalogue that the set totally compromised of one true gem after another. Yes, the backing band wasn't anywhere close to the task of supporting such an artist and he really needed a horn section to give a fuller sound. But despite such minor flaws he really responded to the positivity of the audience (who after all haven't seen him play in the UK for around 7 years).

His wonderful response to the audience went so far as TTD arriving at the backstage door after the show to meet fans for CD signing and general chat. This was truly an extra, and unexpected, joy! His ability to focus upon the person he’s speaking to, and what they are saying to him, in the face of a milling crowd of well-wishers is exceptional.

Tracks off the new album didn’t seem as comfortable as the older songs (mainly, I feel, because of the lack of horns – everybody needs a Maceo in the band!), but the rockier grooves such as Vibrator and the new Testify suited the band and the venue – which is a beautiful theatre space – ahh! remember P-Funk in ’99?!!!

Was praying for more from Neither Fish Nor Flesh as well, and then nearly wet myself with joy when You Will Pay Tommorrow came bursting on!

Great gig, wonderful artist, striking humility.

Never saw him perform live, but it's nice to see him out there working again. TTD has a really beautiful voice, and I love his lyrics. He needs to hook up with someone current and get things going again. I think he should hook up with Lenny Kravitz and do some stuff. They seem to have about the same vibe.

MunchinVictor said:

I actually liked the new songs a lot. "Sayin' About You", "My Dark Places", "What Shall I Do?", "O Divina" (Could do with real horns admittedly) and "Testify" were all great to me. It was the "Hardline" material which I found least inspired, albeit necessary to appease the crowd. Perhaps I was just overly familiar with those songs from seeing the "Hardline Live" video.

Oh I loved hearing the new songs...don't get me wrong!!!
It's just that I thought that the older songs suited his sripped down band a little more. It was a joy to hear tracks like 'O Divina', 'Testify' and, my favourite, 'Sayin about you'...but they would have been delightful with horns, maybe some backing singers and just a little kettle drum for 'Sayin about you'!!!
No real complaints though!!!
Although when I did ask TTD where his horn players were he retorted that it was their night off!

Can't get the groove from Testify out of my head!

Anyone even slightly interested in Sananda/TTD who doesn't have Wildcard, I can only say 'Buy it now!!!', you will be moved.

Sayin' About You should've been a single.

You never know...it still could be!!!

Put it on loop and listen to that wah-wah over the tinkling of the kettle drum...it takes you someplace else!

MunchinVictor said:

Done it many times!

It really is the album's obvious single so here's hoping.

Did he mention anything about touring the States anytime soon or why he may not?
Thanks for both reviews and notes of the show...hoping he comes over here sometime soon.

Cloudbuster said:

Excellent song yeah, hearing it live gave me new appreciation of it's worth... great chord changes.

mrchristian said:

Well apparently a mini-interview in Vibe contained his saying USA tour is on future agenda.

I don't see any reasons why he couldn't (aside from funding perhaps) and had heard his old contract with Sony meant he could never perform in the UK again... until this show. Maybe there was just a seven year ban.

mrchristian said:

I read in Vibe that he's hitting the States next year...

Thanks for the info...i hadn't read any of those articles. Good to hear he may play the states
(although for the life of me, i can't understand why someone like Prince or Lenny Kravitz doesn't have TTD/SM open for them...?)

Interesting read...

Thanx 4 the review. I didn't go, dammit, wish I had now. I need to get Wildcard me thinks...

Cloudbuster said:

"Designated Fool" is some funky, sticky-icky! I will own this CD. If he ever enters the song into his setlist, I will be in attendance.

NGSPW7200 said:

Well on his last tour (Sept.-Dec. 2001) he had played Designated Fool live. He started the show with Wishing Well and then went right into D.F. and I think it was the best beginning of a show I've ever seen!!!

Serious said:

What? That's impressive...Why isn't he doing so now?