I was at Seal's concert last night at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto. He mixed up the play list compared with earlier posts on the forum (mostly in the middle section). The performances were very impressive, and the lighting was very cool, but unfortunately the sound was awful. It was boomy and distorted, and plagued with high-pitched echoes. I've heard better sound in hockey-rinks (like at Joni Mitchell's concert in Maple Leaf Gardens).

Speaking of Joni, I spotted her walking hand-in-hand with someone. She was probably visiting her daughter, who lives here in Toronto. Considering she and Seal have worked together, I wasn't too surprised to see her there.

I was surprised that they didn't change the arrangements very much for the live gig (except for the occasional gratuitous guitar solo). This was particularly disappointing, considering the caliber of musicians accompanying him. He could have done wonders. (I'm comparing it to concerts of Peter Gabriel, who always presents things in a new a fresh way.)

Overall, the show was quite entertaining. It just wasn't "fantastic". I enjoyed seeing him live, but I probably wouldn't do it again. I prefer to listen to him at home where the sound quality is much better.

TORONTO - "What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?" Elvis Costello asked us 20 years back.

What, indeed.

The skeptic in us may sneer at those principles, consider anyone who talks about them idealists, or dismiss artists who proudly endorse them in their music. But ultimately we end up checking ourselves for doing so.

You can be sure that British soul singer Seal, who made a return to the Molson Amphitheatre last night, does not wrestle with the skeptic within. And that's because it isn't there.

All you have to do is spend time with the three albums he's cut over the last eight years and you'll hear the smoky-voiced singer ruminating on love and humanity. But hold up, these aren't your generic moon-in-June lyrics, baby.

Seal has a penchant for getting all introspective and abstract and existential on us, and you can bet he wouldn't be as huge as he is if his meditations weren't backed up by an organic and hooky blend of folk, soul, pop and dance elements.

And then there's that soothing voice, capable of moving from a whisper to a scream.

In front of a crowd of 3,500 -- which included fan Joni Mitchell -- Seal and his six-piece group started the evening with, appropriately, The Beginning, from his first album.

A crowd favourite, Future Love Paradise, followed and then came Human Beings. Inspired by the shootings of rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., it contains this line: "When you lose your self-esteem, that's when love dies/ tell me, is it death you feel that will bring you peace of life?"

In introducing Colour, off his third album, Human Being, Seal -- sporting black leather pants and a black shirt -- showed how idealistic he can really be.

"The best thing about coming to Canada is that I see a lot of people living in harmony, harmony as far as race is concerned.

"This song entertained the possibility of a world without colour ... a bit like what I see here."

Um, okay.

The somewhat sombre mood of the evening was punctured by three up-tempo jams -- Prayer For The Dying, Latest Craze and Killer -- from his three discs. Sadly, the magic captured on his albums failed to come across at the show -- blame it on the poor sound or Seal just going through the motions.

The Grammy-winning vocalist slowed things down again with Deep Water, Kiss From A Rose and When A Man Is Wrong.

Opening for Seal was acoustic pop singer Joan Jones.