Sade Soldier of Love Tour KICKOFF - Baltimore 2011

Source: The Baltimore Sun (1)

Sade is BACK! 
Yes, you read correctly! THE SULTRY Singing Goddess we all know and love as SADE is FINALLY BACK after a TEN... 10 year Hiatus!  I traveled to Baltimore, MD 200 miles from south-east Virginia to witness this event, and as expected, it was a phenomenal kickoff to what's going to be a great tour!    This was also the first time that I have been able to see Sade perform live since I became a fan in 1990, as a teenager who first started playing the Sax. Her music and style gripped me then.... and at this concert, she shined as her music, voice and emotion filled the room!  


So without further delay, 
The Concert Review: 
Sade kicked off her 2011 tour in Baltimore, MD on Thursday, June 16th, 2011, and it was every bit of amazing as all her other concerts... with the added BONUS of her new songs, a fantastic 23' x 52' high resolution LED mega-screen, and a MOVING STAGE (yes, you read correctly).. Sade one-upped her previous performances by incorporating moving stage elements to enhance an already stellar act! 

Sade Owning the Stage at her 2011 Concert Kickoff in Baltimore, MD

John Legend opened up for Sade, performing a great set of songs that set the atmosphere for what was about to happen next! ... The concert started with Sade entered the concert hall to Soldier of Love as the band rose out of the stage and played, and energy remained high throughout the evening!  From there, she performed 2 hours total of music, playing several songs from her newest album:  Skin, Morning Bird, Moon and Sky, and classics that we all know and love like:  Jezebel, Is it a Crime, No Ordinary Love, Smooth Operator, and Pearls.   Sade closed by performing Cherish the Day, which sent the house into an uproar as part of the stage lifted her into the air as she sang!   The lighting for this show was also leap frogs ahead of her last concerts, as it's clear her show is designed for the technology of the 21st century! 

Who's Looking at the Crystal CLEAR LED Screen when you have Sade?

Additionally, Sade's voice was FLAWLESS, her look and energy was just as intense (if not more so) than previous concerts.  Her performance of Pearls was truly the most stunning as she performed in front of a giant Sun that brought out the fire and passion in the song as the emotions resonated all over the room!


The tour continues on to Pittsburgh on June 18th with a performance at Consol Energy Center and includes multiple nights in Atlanta, Chicago, Oakland, Los Angeles and Anaheim before finishing in mid-September (2).  Sade has 51 concert dates booked, and some of these include cities that have been added since the tour was announced (i.e. Sade will be in NORFOLK the Norfolk Scope, but tickets are not yet on sale).  Check out ticketmaster to reserve your tickets now! 

Paul was SERVING some BASS!

On a Side Note, I sat closest to Paul Spencer Denman, Sade's bassist who was SERVING IT, thumping up the BASS and Dancing it up! As to be expected, the band was serving up plenty fun and entertainment as they filled the room with music and energy that transported Sade's voice throughout the arena!


Welcome back Sade, you have been truly missed by not just me, but all of your fans!  Thank you for bringing your music back to us!  You have inspired my music and my style, and i'm grateful I was able to attend your welcome-back inauguration in the U.S. and finally see you! 

Your biggest fan, 
~ SaxManDre



Sources:
(1) PIcture of Sade at Baltimore Opening, June 16, 2011 - 
The Baltimore Sun:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/bal-ae-sade-concert-pg0616,0,928107.photogallery http://bsun.md/iG6e22


(2) Article " Sade Marks Triumphant Return to US with Sold Out Opening Night at Baltimore's First Mariner Marina" - The Sacramento Bee:  http://bit.ly/lQQVfR