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21 August 1997, Chastain Park Amphitheater, Atlanta, GA USA.

We got there early yesterday afternoon and ate, then went to find it so we would know where it was. We got there about three hours early but since it was further out than we thought it would be, we decided to stay. It was at the Chastain Park Amphitheater. It wasn't very big, but was a very nice amphitheater in the middle of a residential area. When we pulled in around 5, we could hear Sinead practicing the very end of Fire On Babylon! But we didn't get to the fence in time to see her on the stage.

This amphitheater had a center section on the ground set up with tables. People who bought season passes got the tables and they came in early and set up elaborate family meals to eat before the show. In fact, the people really amused us with the way they'd set up tablecloths, candles, and wine. They had catering there, and a lot of them would come for a family meal, no matter who the performer was. That was interesting to us, and we were hoping that they wouldn't be disappointed, but I think everybody really loved the performance. We were back behind them, but up above them, so in our opinion, our seats were better. They were all crowded down there and looking up at the stage. We were to Sinead's right, and were just a little higher than she was, with a perfect view!

Now, for the real stuff...the show. The Screaming Orphans are an Irish girl rock band, and were pretty entertaining. They did about six songs, then came back out to sing backup for Sinead. The backup vocals worked, but 2 of the 4 girls danced a bit too much, and it was a little distracting.

Around 9, they dimmed the lights. Sinead walked out in a red dress and she had that black belt on that's hooked up to her headphones. She had on some big black clogs and had her hair parted in the middle.

By the time she came out it was dark, but there were so many candles from all the people eating that Sinead said, "Thank you...it's good to be here in fairy land...it looks like fairies." Then they went into The Emporer's New Clothes. It just started with the guitar and built up in volume through the whole song. One huge difference in this Sinead concert and the earlier ones was the fact that she did not play the guitar, and she held the microphone in her hand the whole time. She looked down and closed her eyes a lot, rarely looking straight out at the audience, though she did talk a good bit. Here's the setlist. Things Sinead said between songs are in parentheses.

The Emporer's New Clothes

You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart

("I always like to dedicate this song to any dead people that may be here...I'm sure there are some.")

I Am Stretched On Your Grave

A Perfect Indian

("This is a little love song...not to be confused with a rebel song, even though it's called This Is A Rebel Song, it's really a love song.")

This IS A Rebel Song

John I Love You

("I'd like to dedicate this one to all the people who came to the soundcheck earlier...thank you.")

Petit Poulet

("And now...This is to mother you.")

This Is To Mother You

Thank You For Hearing Me

In This Heart

Fire On Babylon

The Last Day Of Our Acquaintaince

Encore:

"I'd like to dedicate these next two songs to my son, Jake, who is out there somewhere (looks at the audience and points), and this is also for John Waters."

Redemption Song (Bob Marley)

He Moved Through The Fair

"I Am Stretched On Your Grave" began with the first verse with just the cello and the accordian, then it became really energetic and everyone was rocking back and forth. Then "A Perfect Indian" was absolutely gorgeous. "John I Love You" was very exciting, especially the chorus when Sinead gets into the music and really moves! "In This Heart" (my personal favorite) was beautiful, then a recording repeats "This music is meant to be played at high volumes, especially in a residential area," shifting the mood for "Fire On Babylon," complete with Sinead's interesting "swimming in the deep blue..." lyrics at the end. In all, it was a beautiful concert and a perfect evening.

By; kristina m spurgin

hello all...sorry if this ends up being a bit disjointed, but it is late and i still in a bit of an afterglow from seeing sinead play chastain park in atlanta tonight ... i had never seen her play before but this show blew all other concerts i've ever seen out of the water... maybe it was because i had such good seats... on the way in a guy wanted to swap his 2nd row concert series tickets (non-refundable) for my crappy almost on the lawn tickets so he could get money back... some people just wanted to see the pretenders, i guess... chastain is an amphitheater in the middle of a big park and woods... the floor is filled with tables at which people sit and eat and watch the show... lots of people in the seats bring tiny tables of their own and almost everyone has candles on the tables... i enjoyed the screaming orphans, agreeing that their vocals and music are sublime but the lyrics were a bit juvenile at times... the guitarist kept cracking jokes between songs about the people eating such as "this is a fast one, but i don't guess you'll want to dance 'cause you might get indigestion". i could have done without them bouncing around unrhythmical while singing backup for sinead, but they did a good job of the singing... when sinead came out nothing else really mattered, though... unlike some other reviews here have said, she looked radiant and beautiful, danced, chattered, and never seemed bored...the set list was basically the same as posted here previously. i'll try to summarize what she said during the show as best i can remember...

when she came out she said "hello...thank you...welcome to fairy land...ahhh, it does look like fairy land...and you're all little fairies.."

i liked the lyric change in the emperor's new clothes from "you asked if i'm scared and i said so" to "you asked if i'm scared and i said hell, no" of course there were lots of thank you's, both sincere and silly little girl high pitched ones, throughout the show... i am stretched on your grave: "this is a song that i always like to dedicate to all the dead people with us...i think there are a lot of them here tonight... especially with the candles"

then she played a song (i can't remember which exactly) and through it she was motioning to the sound people who were not responding... after the song she said "thank you... turn the keys down a bit... thank you" and then leaned out towards the audience, cupped a hand around her mouth, and whispered into the mike "just a bit of technical difficulty...you're not supposed to know about it"... then she turned around to the guys off stage, giggled and said "it's a secret" ...aside for one feedback screetch, i didn't notice any problems at all...

this is not a rebel song: "this next one is a real love song and it's in no way a political song. even though it's name says it is a rebel song, it's not..."

this is to mother you: "ahh...and this IS to mother you"

petit poulet: "i'd like to thank everyone who came to the sound check earlier today... this song is for them."

thank you for hearing me: she laughed at the beginning, missing her place... it took a couple of lines for her to find her spot again..

in this heart: "this is another of those love songs"

redemption songs: "this one is for my son, jake, who is out there somewhere" (bends forward, puts a hand above her eyes, scans the crowd, waves) "hi!" (big smile, music starts) hurriedly adds "oh and this is for john waters too..."

and that's all i can remember that she said...jake's presence surely had something to do with her apparent higher lever of energy and interest than at previous shows...her voice is surely at it's pinnacle so far...

on every song except fire on babylon it sounded BETTER than on the cds... her movements weren't just hand gestures this evening... while there was no jumping up and down or step dancing or twirling about,(who could sing perfectly and steadily while doing such) she constantly swayed, moved her feet back and forth, and this little movement of leaning back from the knees and forward at the hips...she genuinely felt present in each song and each moment...tears rolled down my face half the show, but i smiled through the whole thing...

oh yeah, she was wearing an orange/red almost tie dyed looking ankle length dress with small straps and brown mule sandals with very thick soles... but she wasn't wearing the necklace... i didn't see any jewelry on her at all... and i thought she looked over all quite happy and healthy...