As anyone who knows me well would know, Suzanne Vega has been my favourite singer since I was 17. Kate Bush and Tori Amos come in closely behind her.
Suzanne Vega has toured Australia five times – 1987, 1993, 2008, 2014, and 2018. I was not cashed up enough for concert tickets in 1987, and I was not aware of her 2008 and 2014 concerts until it was too late.
A music reviewer did describe the 1987 concert as ‘as exciting as a Carlton – Hawthorn grand final’, which was to say that it was so perfect as to be boring. I do hope that reviewer lost their job, as obviously they had nothing sensible to say.
But I did attend her 1993 concert at what is now Hamer Hall, and her 2018 concert. The 1993 concert was in support of 99.9 Fahrenheit Degrees, her fourth studio album. Whilst it was, in my view, a weak album in comparison to her self titled debut, and her most successful second album, Solitude Standing (I still prefer the debut album), in concert there was not a weak song in the entire set.
Then, in 2018 she toured to mark the 25th anniversary of that album, and the 30th anniversary of Solitude Standing. That concert was at the Palais, and the supporting act was Deborah Conway and Willie Zygier (fun fact – I used to work with Willie Zygier’s brother).
I am more prepared in these days of ubiquitous internet. I signed up to her fan email list for updates about two years ago, and today it all came to golden fruition with an email advising that she is touring next September. I have already hopped online and bought my ticket, carefully picking an aisle seat (I like aisle seats).
Concert will be at Hamer Hall, so I think it will be a pretty good one – not stadium sized like Taylor Swift, but still a decent crowd.
It’s something to really look forward to.
Lost For Words! 