17th AUGUST 2004
BRIXTON ACADEMY, LONDON, ENGLAND
Review from Andrew:
I was lucky enough to get to see Dido on the first night of the three shows she did in London
this week. Dido took to the stage at about 9.10pm, and started with the song 'Stoned'. The
band had all taken to the stage and started the song, to huge uproar from the crowd. Dido
emerged a minute later to a crowd going absolutely barmy, and took up her position at her mic
in time for the vocals to start. I had waited so long to see a full headline gig from her, and
now I was! With the opening line "When you're stoned baby, and I am drunk..." I was just
ecstatic! There I was, only about four or five metres from her near the front of the crowd,
listening to her wonderful angelic voice! She is such a confident strong performer and was
very pleased to be back in her hometown - as she said to the crowd at one point. Highlights of
the set for me were 'White Flag', 'Life For Rent', 'Honesty OK' and 'Isobel', but the
beautiful acoustic version of 'Mary's In India' was worth attending the gig for on it's own!!!
Dido picked up an acoustic guitar and without any assistance from her superb five-piece band
played the song just like she was in a small folk club - with just her vocals and the guitar
chords that she was strumming. It was beautiful and proved, not that it was needed, that she
has the loveliest voice in the world. She mentioned at one point how she had been to so many
gigs at the Academy during her life that it was actually strange for her to be up on the stage
rather than down in the fan-area. She pointed to the ladies toilets and said that she had
actually thrown-up in there once, and had then got "Beaten up by some girl, well, she was
bigger than me..." Dido said humorously!
The set, which lasted about an hour an a half,
included 'Do You Have A Little Time' as the first song of the encore. While the crowd were
going nuts waiting for her to return, the roadies quickly set up an electric piano, a seat,
and a low boom-mic for her to do this song. This, rather like 'Mary's In India' involved no
help from her band who were still backstage - her being the only one to return to the stage
for this first part of the encore. This was a beautiful piano ballad version of the song
which she carried off superbly. After that, the others joined her and they played the next
couple of songs of the encore. After having introduced the band, Dido then picked up her
acoustic guitar again, and performed a beautiful version of 'See The Sun' - the last song of
the night. It was very emotional to watch, and it was a lovely performance of a great track.
I had just seen one of the best shows I've ever watched, and it had had an emotional effect on
me. I was so glad I went, and was buzzing all the way home. What a wonderful evening!!!