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 Receiving a standing ovation before she had sung a note, Bush
opened with "Lily" from her 1993 release "The Red Shoes",
followed by "Hounds of Love" from the double-platinum selling
album of the same name.
She singled out her teenage son Bertie, who sang and acted in
the show, for giving her the confidence to perform. "The
adventure's only just begun," she told him onstage.
For the 22 shows dubbed "Before the Dawn," Bush has returned to
London's Hammersmith Apollo, a venue in her only previous tour
in 1979, a year after she went to No.1 with the self-penned
"Wuthering Heights."
That song, based on the Emily Bronte novel, stood out in a pop
scene filled with disco and punk, and the 19-year-old Bush's
high-pitched voice and expressive dancing only added to her
uniqueness.
Bush has released nine studio albums, two of which topped the
charts. Her singles collection "The Whole Story" also went to
No.1.
But she has largely stayed out of the public eye, giving few
interviews and leaving long gaps between releases.
In the process she has become one of the most celebrated of
Britain's anti-celebrities, generating a devoted following from
fans who were ecstatic when she announced the shows in March.
Teacher Vicki Skehan from Brisbane, Australia, said she had
spent about 10,000 pounds ($16,500) on a business-class plane
fare to London, accommodation and tickets for two performances.
"So far, so good," she said during the interval of the show,
adding that Bush's voice was "still fantastic, and if anything
sounds better, with more depth."
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The show shifted gears midway through the first half with the song
cycle "The Ninth Wave," which is about a woman floating in the sea,
slipping in and out of consciousness.
The eclectic range of musical styles in the piece, ranging from an
Irish jig to a chorale, was mirrored in a staging that combined film
with theater.
Fans were too engrossed in the narrative to even think about
whipping out their smartphones to take pictures, something that Bush
had requested they refrain from doing.
"I very much want to have contact with you as an audience, not with
iPhones, iPads or cameras," she said on her website.
"I know it's a lot to ask but it would allow us to all share in the
experience together."
Bush finished the concert with "Cloudbusting," also taken from
"Hounds of Love," receiving a final standing ovation after being on
stage for nearly three hours.
"Thank you very much for such a warm and positive response," she
said, seriously underestimating the euphoria she had created amongst
her faithful supporters.
(This story has been refiled to add missing letter in first
paragraph)
(Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
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