Seal ignites Wolf Trap

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

If you missed the fireworks last week on the Mall, there were more out at  Wolf Trap Tuesday night.

Yeah, he was that good.

And he had nice things to say about D.C., being that we don't hear too many nice things, infested with politicians and junkies like we are.

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

"You are a great, great audience" he shouted repeatedly.  "I love to come here, because this region is so diverse! The nation’s capital!  Just look at you!"  he shouted to cheers.  “You’re a great mix!”

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

The crowd of young, old, black, white was totally enraptured by Seal who performed straight for almost two hours without intermission, without any other singers breaking up his delivery.  Plus he knew exactly what to wear in Vienna, Virginia: solid black   (Like he might wear something else?) 

 

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

He danced, hopped, skipped, gyrated, and jumped across the stage all night, up and down, across and back, putting the moves on the music and thrilling us all and frequently grasping the extended hands of the fans who hung on the stage rim, wanting to make permanent contact, but he pulled none of them up to join him like some expected, and that was quite all right.  He was Seal.

Sorry, honey, not tonight/Patricia Leslie

So many of the pieces he sang seemed devoted to Heidi, at least to the fans, and we probably thought of her more than he did, but he began the concert with "Tonight we're going to forget about whatever it is that's been dragging us down" because this is "the here and the now!" 

And later:  "The beginning of the year was not so good, but I am happy now!"  (New girlfriend?)

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

He sang his biggies and some Al Green, too.  (Al's coming to Wolf Trap on August 24, and darecity we hope the president will come and sing a duet with Al? Please, please, please...)

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

One thing is for certain:  Seal never has to worry about weight.  One woman said she just came to check him out and see what all the fuss is about.  "And he can sing, too?"  she gasped. 

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

With those undulating movements he reminded another woman of a male stripper who keeps his clothes on.  Too bad.  I don't suppose the Wolf Trap neighborhood would dig a strip tease out in their neck of the woods too much.

Seal at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

Macy Gray was the first act, and she started off the evening with that sultry voice just before 8 p.m. wooing the audience with her style and tunes.  She may be the most talkative entertainer to the audience there is, and there's nothing wrong with that.  One of her songs was like a slowly-spoken poem with a single instrument playing in the background, but aren't all songs poems? 

“This ain’t no library,” she bellowed.  “Get up and move!”  We did.

Macy Gray at Wolf Trap.  Her band wore lighted hats, ties, or jackets/Patricia Leslie

A back-up singer for Macy Gray, Shameka?/Patricia Leslie

Just before the concert began, a heavy, longlasting downpour drenched the yard folks and  many "in house," too, but the sheets of rain could not/would not dilute the crowd's pure enjoyment and enthusiasm, and no one left, but stayed to dance in the aisles, listen and sing and throw hands in the air and sway with the tunes.

It was a good time!  It was a great time.  You didn’t even need a date to bust a move and shake a tail feather. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?  Or why did you go?

After the concert a woman walked barefoot across the parking lot and when asked if she had lost her shoes during the storm on the hillside she said no.  She left her high wedges in the car, she said, after she realized she wouldn't be able to walk in them to the performance.  Despite sore feet, she was happy, grinning broadly, like everyone else going home after a night with a lightning streak at Wolf Trap. 

Seal's stage at Wolf Trap/Patricia Leslie

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