Concert Review of Dina Carroll

This is the review of Dina Carroll's concert at Wembley Arena on 19th December 1994 that I wrote for Blues & Soul magazine. It appeared in issue number 680, published 17th January 1995.

I first saw Dina in November of last year, when she took the Hammersmith Apollo by storm as part of her debut tour, shortly followed by an accomplished set supporting Luther Vandross. The anticipation was considerable as to whether Dina could headline the vast Arena and produce the required relationship with her audience in a venue far more difficult than the smaller venues she had been used to.

Well, she didn't disappoint anyone in a show which was highly professional in both it's staging and performance.

Dina's band opened proceedings with their rendition of the late, great Cab Calloway's "Minnie The Moocher", then out stepped Dina in a dazzling red suit which immediately had the near sell-out crowd on their feet to the Clivilles & Cole foot-stomper "Special Kind Of Love". The pace was relentless as "Here" and the Quartz track from 1991, "It's Too Late" followed. The Light show was one of the best and most impressive I've seen at Wembley, as Dina produced a faultless opening with her searing vocals. In a storming first fifteen minutes, she seduced the crowd into the palm of her hand. She had made the transition from Apollo to Arena with considerable ease.

The mood was tempered next as the major ballads off her debut album, "So Close" and "This Time", were sung with the first signs of her recent vocal problems arising. The previous week's concert had been cancelled as Dina had lost her voice, and the power she normally produces on those high notes frequently faded or disappeared altogether. She carried on, and somewhat apologetically performed "I Don't Want To Talk About It", accompanied with just a grand piano, with her voice becoming weaker as the song progressed. But to the crowd's credit, they gave her the support she deserved, refusing to let it affect their enjoyment or appreciation.

Two costume changes, and no doubt vocal lubrication, followed as Dina continued gamely on with the club hit "Express, You'll Never Know" and the pop hit "Don't Be A Stranger". Next, Dina was joined on stage by a six member female choir for the gospel track "Heaven Sent", originally recorded by Cissy Houston. Here we have yet again a mainstream artist, and a British one at that, taking secular gospel to the masses - and the masses loving it!

Dina made one final costume change before returning for the finale. "The Perfect Year" provided an impromptu "duet" with the audience, as Dina was by now really struggling on those high notes, with the crowd willingly helping her on last Christmas' hit. The night was completed with a resounding performance of "Ain't No Man, with Dina giving all that she had left, as the crowd danced energetically in the aisles.

I can forgive Dina for the problematic vocal; she bravely carried on when perhaps others would have cancelled the gig, but it was disappointing not to get a preview of the new album coming out in the Spring. Overall though, a great night was had by all and this lady is certainly going to grow in stature. The world is hers for the taking. She could become as big as Whitney, let's just hope she doesn't stray too far down Pop Avenue!