I remember building a fort under the dining table in 1990, listening to Sinéad O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.” I loved it. Around that time, I saw her on TV. Inspired by her fierce, unapologetic truth-telling, and bold push against societal norms, I swore one day I’d shave my waist-length hair.
I got a copy of Universal Mother in 1999. I’d play “In This Heart” on repeat, trying to nail the harmonies. I’d listen to “Thank You for Hearing Me” when I was in need of comfort (which was often). That album saw me through a lot. In 2000, she released Faith and Courage, and when I was at home alone, I’d blast “Hold Back the Night” and sing it at the top of my lungs. I decided it was time I shaved my head.
In August 2001, during my first trip to Dublin, I found myself walking west down the River Liffey, listening to I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. “Black Boys on Mopeds” was playing (“Young mother down at Smithfield, 5am, looking for food for her kids...”) when I wandered, to my surprise, into Smithfield Square. Though she’s referring to Smithfield in London, it still stopped me in my tracks. Music freezes moments in time, marks them to memory. She has marked so much of mine.
When I first saw Sinéad (now also using the name Shuhada Sadaqat) live, it was February 2012. I was stunned in a way I somehow did not expect. (Read my review for Rock Cellar Magazine here.) Her fiery attitude does not overrule her shy and self-effacing demeanor, but somehow despite the fact that she barely opens her eyes on stage, she still shines and captivates. I was excited to be able to see her again last night at the El Rey.
Imagine my shock when she played all of the songs I mentioned above (none of which she played last time I saw her, save for “Nothing Compares 2 U”). It’s hard to put words to these experiences, how one 75 minute show can sum up a lifetime. It’s hard to describe how much “Thank You for Hearing Me” still means to me, after all this time. There are no videos up yet from LA, but check out that song and the gorgeous, gorgeous a capella harmonies on “In This Heart”:
She spoke only to ask us to sing if we knew the words, and to say many thank yous. When she opened her eyes they twinkled with joy, gratitude, and a twinge of what may have been amazement. She said recently her eldest son claims she has Impostor Syndrome, and I’d believe that. Humble and unassuming in her eyes, yet a force of sheer power in her breath.
It was moving to see the crowd so unwavering in their support. (One woman yelled, “I’m so proud of you, Sinéad!” Another echoed, “Me too!”) I sense a shift in the way we as a society are addressing mental health issues, and I am forever grateful to her for speaking out.
Setlist:
Queen of Denmark
Take Me to Church
4th & Vine
Reason With Me
The Wolf is Getting Married
Jealous
I Am Stretched on Your Grave
In This Heart
Black Boys on Mopeds
Harbour
Thank You for Hearing Me
Last Day of Our Acquaintance
Emperor's New Clothes
Nothing Compares 2 U
Hold Back the Night
++
Milestones
Back Where You Belong
