Concert Reviews:
Red Rocks Auditorium, Morrison, Virginia, USA
When: June 21st, 1995
Reporter: Erich Heintz <eheintz@xmission.com>
Publication: N/A (From alt.music.seal)

Just finished the 9-hour drive back from Denver to SLC. Caught Seal at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison Wednesday nite (U2 fans will recognize Red Rocks as the venue that the Under A Blood Red Sky video was filmed at).

An amazing show...

The set list was the same as his previous dates. It's obviously been standardized with no room for improv. The thirteen songs that were performed were flawless (actually, Seal hit one bad note during Dreaming In Metaphors, but hey, nobody's perfect).

As far as an all around experience, the show was a masterpiece. Seal offered his apologies after the third song for the visual part of the show. Due to high winds immediately prior to his set, they were forced to remove the backdrop and therefore things were not "as visually exciting as they could (have) be(en)". Actually this made it all the more unique due to the configuration of Red Rocks. For those who don't know, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre was built into several large rock outcroppings on a steeply sloped hillside. No plastic seats, just wooden benches. The lighting frames actually lie in between to very large outcroppings. The lack of a backdrop caused the stage lights that would've reflected off of it to go behind the stage and reflect off the plateau and small pond that would've been hidden. You could actually "see through" the stage and the Denver suburbs served as a modified backdrop.

The show was hightened even further by mother nature. A very slow moving but relatively dry thunderstorm rolled through the area during the entire show. Lightning bolts and flashes surrounded the arena for Seal's entire performance. The crowd was frenzied by Seal's statement, "I see we've got a little lightning coming through... Well I say... Bring it on!"

As was mentioned in previous posts of other shows, there was obviously a large portion of the crowd who were "second album fans" who were relatively lost during tracks like Deep Water and Whirlpool, never mind the confusion during Blues in 'E'. There were also the "dance track fans" too. There were actually a couple of women (late teens, early 20's) in front of me who walked out during Kiss From a Rose saying "What's this bullshit, play something people want to hear, everyone's been sitting for threee songs now." They then got up and left the arena. Of course, two minutes later Seal announced that that concluded the "love song portion of the show" and ran through Blues in 'E', Bring It On, Killer and Crazy. (Sorry girls, but patience is a virtue, and who ever said that Seal was a "dance act" ;)

It was kind of weird being such an avid Seal fan amongst others who weren't quite as passionate about the music. I think I might have annoyed a few people with my frenzied dancing at certain points. I was however the recipient of a very sweet smile from the lovely young woman begind me (who was there with her quite bored boyfriend) when she saw me dancing and singing along to Blues In 'E' (which she was about the only other person who seemed to even know the song in the whole arena).

All in all I'd say the show was quite a success for Seal and the fans alike. Unfortunately Seal was in quite a hurry to leave after the show (as related to me by one of the head security people) and left immediately after the set was over. Waiting around for a while did result in my getting a t-shirt autographed by the entire band except the guitarist (who apparently rushed to the bus and promptly fell asleep).

This was one of the few cities that Seal returned to after playing on the last leg of the tour in Fall '94. The last show however was indoors. He thanked the fans for coming back to see him again so soon and in spite of the minor problems he was having adjusting to the altitude in the "Mile High City" he would definitely be back to "play agin in this beautiful setting". This was my first trip to Red Rocks, but I quickly learned that it is a bootleggers paradise. Anyone could've easily brought in a hand-held camcorder and videotaped it without a problem. There were MANY 35mm cameras scattered round the crowd. I've tucked that knowledge away for recall when he comes around next time.

Seeing as it's now 5am I will conclude. I just wanted to give everyone the news ASAP seeing as I couldn't get to my computer immediately after the show.

Coincidentally, Seal's final word of the show is the same that I generally use to conclude any posts I make...

Peace...

   (Erich)


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