Brandi Carlile at the Royal Albert Hall

Backtracking to London...

We had a whirlwind stay in London. Our one full day, we walked across Hyde Park to the Victoria & Albert Museum and spent almost the entire afternoon there. It was the one major museum we didn't make it to in 2023, so it was thrilling to get there this time around. The collection of artwork and sculpture there is astounding, and one can almost feel the presence of ghosts from the Victorian era in the old building, which also still bears the visible scars of the blitz during the Battle of Britain.

I wore my Brandi Carlile t-shirt and we bumped into some American Brandi fans at the V&A who were in London primarily for the concert. These fans invited us to a pre-show get-together at the Gloucester Arms. (We considered it, but didn't end up going).

After we finished at the V&A, we walked back across Hyde Park to our hotel, charged up our phones a bit, grabbed dinner in the Aubaine Restaurant adjoining the hotel, then trekked back across Hyde Park YET AGAIN to the Royal Albert Hall. The second one even sees the facade of the RAH, one is in awe. The awe never lets up. Speaking of ghosts in a building, the presence of every legendary figure and every attendee the RAH has had since 1871 can be felt. The ornate Victorian architecture both outside and inside is intrinsically weighty and profound. The building is a temple to the highest level of the performing arts. 

Brandi was clearly awed by the experience--her first ever performance at the RAH. She has never been shy about telling the audience what she's thinking and feeling, and exposing her vulnerabilities--these are some aspects that make her so likable and relatable. She said she'd dreamed of playing the RAH since she was twelve years old.

Lending even more profundity to the show was the fact that Sir Elton John was in attendance (in a private box below us, so we couldn't see him).

As for the show itself, Brandi is never anything but excellent, but I had a sense that she was a bit tentative. It wasn't as freewheeling a show as I've seen Brandi have in the past, and I wonder if it had anything to do with the venue and/or having her hero Elton watching. Or maybe I'm just imagining this. Who knows? 

That said, it is one of the most amazing concert experiences I've ever had, and such a privilege to witness a performance at such a venerable location.