Camille O’Sullivan at The Olympia on the 25th of November 2012

The Golden Plec team was at Camille O’ Sullivan’s performance in The Olympia in February and it was such a spectacle that when we heard of her return to the opulent venue, we had to pay another visit on November 25th.

The show opened with O’Sullivan wading through the crowd, clad in black lace to a mysterious sounding compilation of children’s films and fairy tales filling the theatre. She and her talented band then eased into Time’s a Revelator. Those who had never seen her before may have been led into a false sense of calm as this was a very delicate and masterful performance. It was controlled and glamorous; the softer side of Camille O’ Sullivan. This was followed by the enigmatic songstress playing around in a cat-like fashion, meowing to the crowd and giving members of the audience an impish grin: “If you’ve never come to see me before… good luck!” she laughed. She then knelt down on the stage, which was met with a chortle from the crowd, and began playing on the tiniest piano in all the land, the eerie opening bars of Tom Waits’ All the World is Green. Fans of Tom Waits will be familiar with his gruff, rather unattractive way of delivering his songs, and O’Sullivan turned it on its head completely. Despite her less than gracious climb on to a swing rigged up to the rafters, she made the Waits cover into something mysteriously attractive.

As each track came to an end, the audience reaction became evermore appreciative. This was not only of the delightfully wacky nature of the Corkonian but also of her immense vocal talent which was so powerful. The band left the stage and O’ Sullivan stood centre, evidently soaking in the atmosphere. She began to sing the gritty Port of Amsterdam by Jacques Brel with a microphone before she placed it on the floor and continued to sing. This was a truly intimate moment in which not a word was spoken by a member of the crowd. While this show was part of the same tour to promote O’Sullivan’s latest studio album, ‘Changeling’, kudos must be gifted to Ms O’ Sullivan and her band as they sought to stray from the temptation of sticking to a one format tour. Not only did they begin with a different song than the February show but they also played some tracks that were not on the set list last time.

Regular attendees of O’ Sullivan’s performances will know that she is a great admirer of Nick Cave and a welcome addition to the set was one of Cave’s darker songs, Red Right Hand. It was refreshing to hear such a masculine song performed with a dose of femininity. One of the most enjoyable treats of the night was O’ Sullivan’s otherworldly rendition of God’s away on Business, another by Tom Waits. If you thought Tom Waits’ original version was bizarre and unsettling, your nerves probably couldn’t handle the oddity of O’Sullivan’s deliverance. Playing up on her Cork accent and creeping around the stage in a bear hat, donkey mask and red fairy lights hitting her head with a bell was a hilariously bizarre sight. It was a charming, carefree performance and it provided some comic relief among some very emotional songs. What was most enviable was that O’Sullivan can parade around the stage in this fashion and remain classically glamorous. The main set ended with a beautiful performance of what O’Sullivan stated is one of her favourite songs. Ship Song was a stunning, expertly delivered and love-stricken moment that many of the revelers will have taken home with them. Once again O’Sullivan put the mic down and was joined in an A Capella chorus by her band mates and the audience.

The show ended on a three song encore, something she and her band rarely do. The encore consisted of a tenderly delivered cover of Leonard Cohen’s Chelsea Hotel #2. The indiscreet and lustful song, although masculine in lyrical content, seemed as though it had been written to suit O’Sullivan’s breathy, womanly vocals and unbeatable stage presence. She effortlessly told the story of Cohen’s brief affair with Janis Joplin as though she had experienced it herself. Also in the encore was an impassioned version of Bessie Smith’s I want a little Sugar in my Bowl. The risqué lyrics in this song were a nod to her cabaret and burlesque days and she gave it more gumption than any performers who had previously sung the song. It was a heated, sexually driven song and O’Sullivan’s vocals were outstandingly flawless.

O’Sullivan’s second visit to The Olympia Theatre was an emotional rollercoaster of a performance. The audience were led to confusion from sadness, moved to laughter from peacefulness and everything in between. Camille O’ Sullivan is an Irish treasure; inherited French fascination with all things sensual combined with typical Irish humour make her a delight to watch. The performance in The Olympia was stunning. It provided a window in to the bizarre but beautiful world of Camille O’ Sullivan; one where it’s socially acceptable to make cat noises to strangers and to hop around like a bunny. That is a world in which we wouldn’t mind living. You may have reservations about a singer who performs covers, but based on this performance, you need to leave your music snobbery at the door. As many of us do when we love a song dearly, O’Sullivan owned each song performed on the night by adding a little sauciness and womanly wiles to what were mainly male-written songs. A glamorous, entertaining night, and we can’t wait for the next Irish gig.