Dolly treats her fans to grand ole country
Her opening words were: "Anybody want to go to a party?" and the cowboy-hatted crowd responded with a whoop and a holler, as Dolly Parton burst into Two Doors Down.
Resplendent in emerald and silver sequins in the first half, with a change to a hot orange suit in the second, the Tennessee star was back in town – pert, toned and rootin’ tootin’ ready to rock with a crack eight-piece country music band and three superb backing singers.
The multi-platinum artiste told us she was “so looking forward” to being back in Belfast and even had a new theory for the audience of all ages about Jolene. Remarking that it was something of an autobiographical song about a tussle with a woman at the start of her own marriage, Dolly told us that the woman she fought like a wild cat must have been Irish, because of her auburn hair.
Just before she launched into Thank God I’m a Country Girl, Ms Parton called for the removal of heaters from the stage – the Belfast audience was hot enough to warm her up – and she then tried out the title track from her new album Backwoods Barbie. The lyrics speak of not judging a book by its cover and clearly refers to Ms Parton herself, who is much more shrewd than some might imagine.
She lambasted tabloid journalists who write ugly stories before cradling her “little white Smoky Mountain dulcimer with rhinestones” to sing Shattered Image. She then took up the autoharp for Coat of Many Colours for all the mommas in the audience.
Only Dreamin’ had an anthemic Celtic ballad feel to it and the artiste spoke of how much songs from the Old World – Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales – which were brought to the US had meant to her late mother and now to her.
A reference to her Pentecostal preacher grandpa led us into a gospel medley based around Neil Diamond’s Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show. It included Old Time Religion and When The Saints Go Marching In and closed the first half of the show.
She came back in her hot orange to sing Baby I’m Burning. There was also plenty of homespun philosophy from the feisty female, who grew up one of a dirt poor family of 12 and now writes million sellers with consummate ease, as well as being a multi-instrumentalist and unique vocalist.
The crowd joined her on favourites I Will Always Love You and Islands in the Stream but finally prevailed against the vigilant Odyssey security staff to get on their feet for Nine to Five.
This time, screens had been erected at the venue, which helped visibility for those at the back, but there were still no close-ups. Dolly Parton plays the venue again tonight before pop princess Kylie takes up residence.
Doubtless the country legend will once again tell fans: “It’s your show, you bought and paid for it and you know it costs a lot to make me look this cheap!”
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Weather for Belfast
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
