This is not an ode to Sinead O'Connor.
Though I love her music a lot – Troy... OMFG!, and her multiple collaborations with the likes of Afro Celt Sound System or Jah Wobble and the Invaders Of The Heart... – her death has brought back and refreshed memories of the few occasions when she crossed my concert going path. Minor episodes and no earth shattering stories, but I have always held them in a very soft spot in my heart.
The first night I crossed paths with Sinead was in Dublin, on May 28th, 1993 (#101), when she unexpectedly (to me) appeared on the "round stage" to accompany Peter for Come Talk To Me. Powerful, to say the least.
My god how beautiful she was!
(The picture on the left, by Pete Still Photography, is from one of those two nights)
A couple of months later, on the afternoon of August 7th, the day before PG was due to play there for a "minor" Womad event which went by the name of World In The Park, I was wondering round Bath's Royal Victoria Park. And to my surprise Peter was also hanging around there in the company of Sinead and another guy I didn't know.
I had already met Peter quite a few times, but mostly at soundchecks or at some busy press conference and never in such an amazingly relaxed atmosphere!
It was the most natural thing to strike up a conversation while walking up to a stall where Peter got some beverage for him and Sinead and then we all sat down in the middle of the field for a chat.
I remember discussing things like film scores (why Blood Of Eden was left out of Wim Wender's Until the end of the world film soundtrack cd), cover versions or adaptations of his music (I specifically mentioned seeing a classical chamber orchestra in Milan which played With This Love from Passion, and the Momix show from that album - which I had not seen but was eager to...), the last time he played his "hometown" of Bath («You probably remember that better than I do» Peter joked... and he was actually right!!).
All the while Sinead was there, very quietly enjoying a few joints with the other guy. In hindsight I can only regret not exchanging more than a few initial pleasantries with her and I can understand she was probably bored senseless and totally uninterested in the PG centered chat.
After a while we noticed some sort of commotion in a close but different area of the Park: a balloon had just landed! Peter asked Sinead if she wanted to have a go and try a flight, so I just said my goodbyes and watched them head towards the other field - wether they actually went for that flight or not I have no idea!
Last but not least, at the end of August, that same year, Peter headlined the Womad in St.Austell (AUg. 30th - #105), not playing inside the Coliseum like in 1988, but the main open air stage.
Once again I had no clue about Sinead's presence on stage, but she actually started the show with a wonderful acappella song that you can hear in the clip below. No video, unfortunately, and just a crappy far away picture. But an extraordinary heartfelt rendition of a classic hymn (or so I believe).
I'll die
But I will rise
And I will return
The Phoenix from the flame
I have learned
I will rise
And you'll see me return
Being what I am
There is no other Troy
For me to burn
Thank you Sinead. Your fire will keep burning.
