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Navy
Pier
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San
Diego Summer Pops – July 18, 2001
As
someone new to Charlotte Church, I was extremely impressed
with this 15-year-old singing sensation from Wales.
I found myself wondering how such an enormously
marvelous sound could come from such a young girl.
Although at times Charlotte acted as a typical
teenager, talking about sleeping in, going shopping, and using
the teen terms “cool” and “wicked,” her approach to
singing seemed mature and practiced.
Her renditions of Danny Boy and Bridge over Troubled
Waters were probably the best I’ve ever heard, enhanced by
San Diego’s flawless symphony orchestra.
During
Charlotte’s first set of songs she dressed casually young in
a sleeveless top and long skirt.
For her second set she changed into a gorgeous
blue-sequined gown that would have suggested she was fast
turning from a little girl into a lovely young woman had she
not quipped to the audience about wearing shoes she couldn’t
walk in (even after her “mum” told her not to buy them).
During her last two sets she wore a classy long red
gown, looking very grown-up.
Hearing
Charlotte sing in person is a pleasure not to be missed.
If Charlotte can continue to grow in her extraordinary
style and can stick with it, she could just become one of the
greatest voices of our time.
Sharon
Coffman
My
thoughts on the Charlotte Church
San Diego Navy Pier Concert.
Hello! My
first post! Whoa. I've been lurking here on CCF since way back
when it was still being hosted on iwarp. I just registered
this nickname for the message board and thought I'd be bold
with my thoughts on the first Charlotte Church concert I've
attended, which I just returned from a few hours ago. The end
of my message contains the program for the show. The program
was published in "Performing Arts Magazine July
2001" along with a separate page with a bio of sorts. I'd
scan both pages and upload them if I had permission from the
publication, and if I wasn't so tired! :)
Here are
my ramblings, I'm not much of a writer, and I'm _very_sleepy_
so bear with me. :)
As I sat
down in one of the plastic chairs in the front row (yes, you
read that right, front row!) I settled into reading the
Performing Arts Magazine which was handed out for free. I had
thrown down 100 bucks for this seat, and sitting there - eyes
roving over California Cuisine reviews and some people known
as "The Boswell Sisters" I wasn't sure what to
expect. Okay, I wasn't REALLY reading the magazine.. Not
really. I was trying (poorly) to contain myself. Charlotte..
Charlotte.. Charlotte.. CHARLOTTE! The concert was late
getting started, and after the Overture to West Side Story,
Charlotte surprised the crowds as she quickly walked out
singing Tonight (From West Side Story) which was wonderful.
Glancing around during a few songs, especially Pie Jesu, I
noted that I wasn't the only one brought to tears by
Charlotte's beautiful voice.
This
being my first time seeing Charlotte live, I was awe struck. A
woman nearby exclaimed (at least twice), "I just wish I
could touch her to see if she's REAL!" Indeed, watching
Charlotte on TV multiple times and staring at her both on the
net and on CD covers, seeing/hearing her WITHIN A FEW
FOOTSTEPS AWAY is SURREAL! I found myself several times
thinking, "She's not on TV, she's REAL. She's HERE!"
A young girl in the second row had made something for
Charlotte (according to the person with her (her dad?)) she
had made it in Old Town (California). After hearing him talk
about it for awhile, it wasn't long before a photographer near
the stage (prior to the concert) informed him that he should
bring the young girl up to give the gift to charlotte after
the last song, which she did. What the gift was, I don't know,
I was too busy staring at Charlotte engrossed in the mantra,
"That's really her! She's really here! She's
BEAUTIFUL!" I was clearly not prepared for the heavy
onslaught Charlotte Church would inflict on my senses.
Several
flowers were given to Charlotte from fans as gifts as well.
She
changed her outfit a few times between songs, apologizing once
when she returned wearing the same outfit once because she
"ran out of clothes" to change into. :) She said she
really hadn't done too much shopping in San Diego yet. She
went on to comment on the nice weather, and the water. Several
times I had to restrain myself from screaming, "I love
you Charlotte!" which the video cameras (by whomever was
recording the event professionally) would've been blanketed
with. Someone further in the back did scream something during
the show, but she looked in the direction briefly and chose
not to comment. She did comment on someone making a funny
tongue-rolling Mexican fiesta sort of sound, saying she really
liked it - fueling the fan's desire to do it again. :) Here I
thought the girls screaming at the Beatles in those old b/w
videos were loco, I was reduced to just that. Sadly, I had to
restrain myself and hope she's telepathic.
Not being
familiar with much of the music outside Charlotte's CDs, I'm
sorry to say I can't elaborate much on those. I'm a convert to
classical by Charlotte, and I'm not into show tunes (yet).
I've been to lots of concerts, and none have matched the sheer
MAGIC that was had at this event. I was surprised she didn't
sing more material from her CDs, Perhaps by performing these
show tunes she's foreshadowing her next CD being a tide that
turns her musical style into something new. "A Bit Of
Earth" was especially wonderful. I've been looking
through Charlotte related pictures on CharlotteChurch.net
for so long now, the faces of Charlotte's parents are
ingrained in my mind. But I can't say with certainty that her
parents passed right in front of me during the concert. A man
who looked JUST like Charlotte's dad passed by with a woman.
Well, could've been. Again I was locked in Charlotte's tractor
beam, thankfully, with no hope to escape. ;)
She sang
all of the songs so beautifully. Oh yeah, the orchestra was
good too. :)
There
were two encores (standing ovations), listed below, Danny Boy
being _so_ beautifully done, I had to hold back tears lest the
camera depict me as a gushing water spout. :) Bending slightly
and lowering her arms down as if to imply "kneel" as
she sang, "and kneel and say an Ave there for me"
was especially touching to me. The applause was so lengthy and
we all refused to sit back down, she had to ask us to be
seated, and politely said prior to announcing Danny Boy that
this would be her last song, since she needed to get some
sleep. At one point she was looking at me as she walked
towards my section, to the other part of the stage, and
looking back I wish I would've blown a kiss. :)
I had
been reading posts in this message base about people being
"sad" that Charlotte was gone, after seeing a
concert, and/or meeting her. It didn't hit me what these
people were getting at until I was about 10-15 minutes away
from the location. **BAM!** .....What's this? .....Strange.
The concert's over, and I feel...... ... *SAD*! This has never
happened to me before after any concert! I should be HAPPY! I
am, but.. what's with the sadness? D'Oh!
As I was
busy having fun prior to the concert, a conversation with a
local homeless man on the way to the concert revealed that she
had been practicing early in the afternoon. Since they weren't
opening the seating area until 6PM, I had seen little reason
to approach the area any sooner. That'll teach me. :) Although
I'm sure it had to have been cold on the street for that
gentleman, I hope he took my advice and stayed just outside
the concert area to hear the entire concert. Looking back I
wish I had bought him a ticket. :( Everyone deserves to see
Charlotte! :)
Now,
before I continue to stagger on with, "beautiful,
wonderful, beautiful, beautiful" into infinity. . .
Charlotte,
please come back to San Diego! :)
Love,
Mater et
Magistra
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