Belinda Carlisle Live!

Belinda Carlisle performed March 7th at the House of Blues, giving her fans an intimate, low-key show that included all her hits and even a Go-Go’s song. I had never been to the House of Blues on Sunset so I didn’t know what to expect and was delighted when I found out that the performance hall was small so no matter where I stood, I would have a great view. A friend and I went early and had a delicious dinner, before we got in line with our general admission tickets. There weren’t a lot of people ahead of us, so once inside; I managed to get a spot right next to the stage.

Belinda walked onto stage, dressed in black, starting the show with “Live Your Live Be Free” and was joined with Gina Schock, a member of The Go-Go’s if you didn’t know already, who played the drums. The rest of the band was from England. During the first song, a strap on Belinda’s Gucci Boots snapped, so she took them off and played barefooted for the rest of the night.

One highlight of the concert was when she sang “Mad About You” and “Leave A Light On,” two of my favorite songs back to back. To see Belinda perform these songs, that I’ve listened to for years, live, standing only five feet away was a very happy moment. She also played “Summer Rain,” which she described as her favorite song and after hearing it live and then listening to the album version since then, it has quickly become one of mine.

The show moved briskly and the crowd was enthusiastic throughout, singing along on hit after hit. Belinda returned for an encore with “Runaway Horses,” another favorite of mine and then the obligatory Go-Go’s song “Our Lips Are Sealed,” ending the set with “Heaven Is A Place On Earth.” This is when I finally made eye contact with Belinda. I had been at the front of the stage all night, waving at her when she ventured over to my side, but she never saw me in the masses, until the end, when five-feet away, she looked at me, smiled and waved as she sang. It was nice! She then left the stage once again before returning for a second encore, performing the ballad, “Vision Of You.”

During the concert I realized why I like Belinda Carlisle so much. Her music is happy, fun and almost innocent which is rare to find these days. She sings about love and there is a joy in many of her songs. She adds to this feeling with her stage presence: attractive, cute, smiling and having fun while dancing around the stage. Even her sad songs have a hope of happiness within them. The song “Summer Rain” is about the memory of someone she was in love with still alive in her heart even though they are now apart. So it’s sad that her lover isn’t a part of her life anymore, but his memory and the love they shared still warms her heart so there is happiness in remembering the past.

“Summer Rain” sums up how I felt about the concert. I was so happy to see her perform this music that she hasn’t sang in over ten years, but I was also sad, wondering if this was the only time it would be brought alive again. So if Belinda goes back to France and doesn’t tour the U.S. again or release a solo album, I’ll always have the memories of this concert, which will warm my heart.

UPDATE: Since I wrote this article, The Go-Go’s official website has announced that the band will regroup again and tour in August!!!