What a strange and lovely thing this is. Live at the Royal Albert Hall is one of those shows – the one you can't believe was ever captured on tape. Here is the late Dusty Springfield fronting a band at a Royal Albert Hall concert in 1979. Springfield is well known for her self-doubt and lack of confidence, but that's absent here. In fact, she carries this show by the sheer force of her goodwill and charm.
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Review
What a strange and lovely thing this is. Live at the Royal Albert Hall is
one of those shows – the one you can't believe was ever captured on tape.
Here is the late Dusty Springfield fronting a very loose and seemingly
un-together band at a Royal Albert Hall concert in 1979. Springfield is well
known for her self-doubt and lack of confidence, but that's absent here. In
fact, she carries this show by the sheer force of her goodwill and charm. The
band drops out in several places and Springfield gets them back on track. There
are some problems: Springfield's between-song banter is too low and can't be
heard very well here; the backing vocalists fall behind her quite often, and the
band literally falls apart for a few moments here and there, especially in the
medley of hits that include “Going Back,” “I Only Want to Be with You,”
“Stay Awhile,” “Just a Little Loving (Early in the Morning),” “Some of
your Lovin'”; “The Look of Love” (where they really blow it and
Springfield just giggles); “Wishin' & Hopin',” “I Just Don't Know
What to Do with Myself,” and “Losin' You..” Yet, Springfield is in utterly
top-form here, digging deeply into the heart of every tune, given the striated
arrangements (this was the wane of the disco era), even in “We Are Family,”
which is a medley with another pair of disco classics. There is vulnerability
here – being that Springfield is at the mercy of a band that is so loose it
has holes in it, and she was performing in front of Princess Margaret – and
she uses that vulnerability to give back to an adoring audience. It's hypnotic
and moving. There is an accompanying DVD sold separately that offers the visuals
for the gig. But the CD contains three bonus tracks not included on the DVD
release. The version of “Baby Blue” here is totally funky and raw –
it's a-hundred-miles-an-hour – not as a way of getting through the material,
but because it's fueled by pure adrenaline. While this set would not be a
proper introduction, it's absolutely essential for fans. Thom Jurek –
Allmusic.com