Sinead O'Connor (1997)

If you ever have an opportunity to see a show in Oregon at the Champoeg State Park ~ GO!  Even if it is a band you kind of like, it will be worth the money and time.  It is a beautiful park with a wonderful outside amphitheater ~ On a clear and sunny day it is a little bit of heaven.  I saw Sinéad here after her release of ‘Gospel Oak‘.  I was mainly a fan of her earlier work such as “Nothing Compares 2 U” (Written by Prince) which was on the album ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got‘(1990)  which featured Marco Pirroni and Kevin Mooney of Adam and the Ants (Adam Ant being my all time favorite).

I lived in Portland at the time and had already seen Ani DiFranco at Champoeg State Park earlier that summer and knew it was going to be a beautiful day.  We got there early to enjoy the park and sunshine, took a swim in the river that is right by the amphitheater and took long walks around the park.  I sadly don’t remember the opening band’s name, a beautiful Irish band I think and I do remember thinking they were great!

As the time got closer we got our food and drinks then sat down in the grass….  

I was expecting a strong, loud, angry woman to come on stage with a shaved head and crazy fun boots.  This is how I had seen her in the media, on MTV and when listening to her music how I pictured she would be in concert.

However I was (happily) mistaken!  ~

Sinéad came out on stage with a girl-like excitement ~ sang with such power and grace, and after each song shyly said, “thank you.”  She also had a cute little bob hair cut that gave her angelic face a softness that I had never seen in pictures of her before.  It was an amazing day that gave me a new and deeper appreciation of Sinéad as a musician and performer ~