Last Sunday we saw Cesaria Evora at the Orpheum. She delivered a great performance. It was very emotional to see the diva arriving on stage. Even if she doesn’t say or move much one can feel a big charisma there. As usual she sang barefoot on a fluffy rug and lit up a cig midway in the concert. Damned the bloody smoking regulations of the west coast. She does that everywhere she sings. Why not, usually the performers do that backstage. What she does is that she shows the pack of cigarettes to the audience to let them know that she is taking a break. She sits down on the stage and the musicians go on playing. I think she’s cool!
The music was great, as usual. She sang her famous songs as well as songs from her new album. I predict that one of her new songs is going to become her new anthem, like Sodade or Angola. Take my words! The new jewel is Africa Nossa (track number 4 of the new album, Rogamar).
The audience was ice-cube like. Really! The music of the diva is quite warm and should lead you to dance or at least move some part of your body. Well my friend Vancouver is a tough audience let me tell you. I assume that everyone who was in the Orpheum Sunday night came to hear music they like. Well I felt like I was in the middle of an audience of classical music followers. Emotionless. It’s true that Cesaria doesn’t interact much with the audience but her music and her voice are really divine and you just want to close your eyes and start to move to the notes.
Nigel and I had a great time.

The Barefoot Diva on her best behaviour, article from the Globe and Mail.