Pop legend Lulu showed the young ones how it’s done with an explosive, energy-filled one-off gig at the iconic venue, alongside some very special guests
For fans of iconic Scottish songstress Lulu, her electric Royal Albert Hall concert on Monday night was a celebration of every era of a career spanning six decades.
A one-off charity show in support of Lulu’s Mental Health Trust, with support from promising pop newcomer Gcielle, Lulu – introduced by Graham Norton – gave the crowd exactly what they wanted – an irresistible walk down memory lane.
From her very first teen hit, Shout to her Eurovision success, to her iconic 1974 cover of The Man Who Sold the World produced by the late great David Bowie, who she had a brief fling with in the 70s and once famously told her she had a “f** of voice” and deserved a hit.
We also heard To Sir With Love, which she recorded for the film of the same name, starring alongside Sidney Poitier, which became the top-selling single of 1967 in America. And the Bond single, The Man With the Golden Gun, for the 1974 007 film of the same title.
There were also a spattering of songs from her newly-announced 16th studio album, her first in over a decade. The follow-up to 2015’s ‘Making Life Rhyme is titled Let The Girl Sing Out and will arrive on September 4 via The Orchard.
She might be 77, but jumping nimbly around the stage like someone half her age, it’s clear that the diminutive, flame-haired performer has still got incredible reserves of energy.
And the Glasgow-born star’s vocals still pack an almighty punch. In an interview two years ago, the Scot said she doesn’t even speak before midday when she is on tour, in order to protect her voice – and it’s clearly paid off.
She confessed at the time of her strict tour regimen, “I don’t speak before 12 noon. I can understand why you think I’m lying. But no. I’m very disciplined.”
“I try not to come out of my room until 12. It makes it easier. I take care of my instrument. It allows me to sing.”
It really was hit after hit, and the crowd responded accordingly, a sea of fans bopping up and down as they helped her belt out pretty much every lyric.
And she was joined onstage for several duets by the likes of Delta Goodrem, who took to the stage to perform Boom Bang a Bang with Lulu and her big Eurovision song, Eclipse.
Boy George joined Lulu for Culture Club’s iconic hit Karma Chameleon and at one point, even her beloved sister, Edwina.
She also duetted with Take That supremo Gary Barlow for a moving rendition of A Million Love Songs.
Then, it was the turn of Gary’s former bandmate – a buff-looking Robbie Williams, who she performed Angels with, declaring, “This is a dream”, telling the audience fondly that she’d “known him since he was a teen”.
The finale was, unsurprisingly, with the Take That boys in tow – and together with Lulu they brought the house down with a rendition of their 1994 No.1 hit together, Relight My Fire.
This is the first time the trio had performed their catchy hit live together in a whole 15 years – in fact, the first time Robbie and Gary had shared the stage in a decade, and everyone in the venue was up on their feet, transfixed.
From the tenements of Glasgow to Hollywood and the Royal Albert Hall stage, it’s been quite a journey. And if her triumphant concert is anything to go by, Lulu’s not done yet…
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