Carole King live – The ultimate ‘natural woman’

Looks good!

Last Sunday evening, I had the pleasure of seeing Carole King perform live in Hyde Park in London. This was a particularly special occasion, as it marked her first return to the UK stage in 27 years to sing her acclaimed second album, Tapestry, in its entirety. King’s performance was nothing short of triumphant, her robust vocals wowing an audience of 65,000, and it didn’t stop there. While she performed most of the album stationed at her native piano, the sparkly-heeled King sprang up during the show to dance, play the guitar, and embrace the other stage members.

What struck me most throughout King’s set was her energy, and how she really seemed to be living for every moment she was up on stage. She hardly stopped smiling throughout the entire show, and made sure that she conveyed this feeling of pure joy to the concert-goers thronged on the grassy landscape before her. It was certainly tangible to me, with my parents crooning happily beside me, and others in the vicinity dancing, jumping, and even sobbing.

Before King graced the stage, the air was thick with the smell of barbecued meat from the nearby food stalls, spilt beer in the grass, and anticipation. My family and I excitedly discussed with friends we had found at the concert the excellent performance we’d been presented from Eagles founding member Don Henley, who blew the crowd away with his set, which included the band’s classic “Hotel California” and “Desperado” (poignantly dedicated to member Glenn Frey who passed away in January).
Before she came out, a host of revered public figures, from Tom Hanks to Sir Elton John, impressed upon the audience via a recording why they held Tapestry so close to them, the former touching upon how almost every mother embraced the strong female voice in the album, the latter remarking, “…without her, I would never have wanted to write songs.”

During that evening, although I admittedly did not know too much about King’s career beforehand, I was able to acknowledge how her music transcends generations. Aside from powerful songs, King also delivered powerful messages about female empowerment and support. This was highlighted particularly when she brought up the renowned TV show, Gilmore Girls, and the part she played in it. During the early production stages of the cult show, King was approached by the network to use her song “Where You Lead” for its opening theme. She explained her uneasiness regarding the song, which had been written back in the 70s. However,  she re-recorded it to suit the mother-daughter relationship examined on the show, having already been dissatisfied with the song’s patriarchal theme for a long time (which even culminated in her reluctance to perform it). After encouraging the audience to check out the television programme, (in which she will also make a guest appearance), she duetted the updated version with her daughter, fellow musician Louise Goffin.

While King seemed years below her age, she expressed how little influence a number would be in deterring her from continuing to pursue her passion. “I’m old and embracing it!” she exclaimed.

King’s performance made this evident, and it made me ashamed to admit that I was starting to develop a slight backache from standing for just a few hours. With her relentless enthusiasm, talent and cheerfulness that seemed to convince even the London weather to be amiable, King gave me, my family and 65,000 others a truly “Beautiful” night to remember.