“How are you doing?” McLachlan asked the Huntington audience as she took the stage. “I am super happy to be here,” she said, prior to noting that her set would consist of new songs, as well as her older hits.
McLachlan kicked off her set with the atmospheric ballad “Possession,” as she accompanied herself on piano with fuchsia lights in the background. It was followed by her Grammy-winning tune “I Will Remember You,” which was calming, and it allowed the nostalgic lyrics to speak for themselves. She sang her own background vocals on this song, which was an added treat.
“We are just getting to know each other,” she told The Paramount audience. “You won’t judge me too harsh,” she added, jokingly. She went on to describe the “tricky” and complex story behind “Adia,” and went on to deliver an expressive performance, where she displayed her crisp, crystalline voice.
This journalist’s personal favorite song in her set was “Building a Mystery,” where she switched over to acoustic guitar. Her vocal performance was ethereal, and she sang it with minimal melisma. A fan in the front row handed McLachlan a large bouquet of flowers following this well-received tune.
She immediately broke into the heartfelt “Good Enough,” which she also performed on acoustic guitar. She shared that she enjoys writing love songs. “I love men. I just haven’t had the best luck with them,” she said, prior to describing love as a “tricky” thing. It was followed by “Answer” on piano.
McLachlan shared that she also sings about “forgiveness and redemption.” Equally compelling was her live rendition of her Grammy-nominated “Fallen” on piano. She continued with a new song “In Your Shoes” from her 2014 album Shine On.
One of the stand-out vocals of the night was her moving performance of “Angel,” which left many fans in tears. The control she maintained over her voice throughout this song was exceptional.
The Verdict
Overall, Sarah McLachlan was able to put on a remarkable, intimate concert at The Paramount on Long Island. Her vocals were simply too good to be mortal, and on top of that, she explained the story behind each song. She is worth seeing in concert whenever she performs in town. McLachlan never disappoints. Her live show at The Paramount garnered five out of five stars.