Belinda Carlisle rose to fame as the lead singer of the all-female pop band The Go-Go’s in the 1980s before launching a successful solo career. With hits like “Heaven is a Place on Earth,” “Mad About You,” and “Leave a Light On,” Carlisle became one of the most recognizable voices in pop music. Over the course of her decades-long career, Carlisle has proven herself to be an entertaining and dynamic live performer. But is she still a good concert draw today? Let’s take a closer look at her live show and reputation as a touring artist.
Brief Overview of Belinda Carlisle’s Music Career
Born in 1958 in Hollywood, California, Carlisle started out singing for punk bands like The Germs before co-founding The Go-Go’s in 1978. The Go-Go’s went on to become one of the most successful all-female rock bands in history, fueled by hits like “We Got the Beat” and “Our Lips Are Sealed.” After the band broke up in 1985, Carlisle embarked on a solo career and found even greater commercial success.
Her first solo album, Belinda, was released in 1986 and included the smash single “Mad About You” as well as the top 5 hit “I Feel the Magic.” Her second album, 1987’s Heaven on Earth, marked her commercial peak and included “Heaven is a Place on Earth,” her only #1 solo hit in the US.
In total, Carlisle has released seven studio albums and has sold over 15 million records globally. She’s also had a string of pop, dance and adult contemporary hits over the course of the late ’80s, ’90s and 2000s like “Leave a Light On,” “Runaway Horses,” and “La Luna.” While her popularity waned in the US in the ’90s, she’s remained a touring and recording artist with a devoted international following.
Her Live Performances Over the Years
Even during the peak of her fame as a recording artist in the late ’80s, Carlisle was known as an engaging and exciting concert performer. Her shows with The Go-Go’s were celebrated for their energy and fun spirit. And that enthusiasm carried over into her solo tours.
In her early solo touring days, Carlisle put on elaborate pop spectacles with costume changes, choreography, and big backing bands. After stepping back from the spotlight in the ’90s to focus on her family, she returned to touring in 1996 with a stripped-down presentation and acoustic-driven sets.
Over the past decade, Carlisle has found a comfortable middle ground, touring with a tight four-piece band and balancing her upbeat hits with more emotive acoustic performances. While she doesn’t attempt the same dance routines that she did as a younger performer, she still brings charisma and playful banter to the stage.
Setlists and Song Selections
Carlisle typically performs a crowd-pleasing setlist focused on her big solo hits but also featuring some Go-Go’s classics and deeper album cuts. She’ll usually open with an uptempo number like “Mad About You” before digging into other fast-paced hits like “Summer Rain,” “Runaway Horses” and “La Luna.”
Given that Carlisle’s discography features many emotive pop ballads, she incorporates songs like “Heaven is a Place on Earth,” “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)” and “Only a Dream” into her sets as well. For fans of The Go-Go’s, she reliably performs staples like “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “Vacation.”
For recent tours, Carlisle has been playing 17-20 songs per show, varying the setlist from night to night and including new songs from her latest English pop albums. So audiences get a good mix of hits and cult favorites at her concerts.
Vocals
Even at 64 years old, Belinda Carlisle can still deliver her hits with gusto thanks to her strong and versatile pop voice. While she no longer goes for the high soprano notes that she did as a young singer, Carlisle adapts the melodies and has avoided obvious deterioration of her vocal range and power. She may rely on her backup singers for the biggest belting moments, but is largely singing live at her shows.
Reviewers have remarked that Carlisle remains in excellent vocal form in recent tours, staying mostly on pitch and bringing texture and emotion to her delivery. She puts her years of experience on display by emphasizing key lyrics and modulating her tone between sweetness and grittiness from song to song.
Stage Presence
In her live shows, Carlisle connects with audiences through her warm, personable stage presence. She has an easygoing, friendly manner about her when speaking to the crowd between songs, sharing anecdotes and appreciating the fans who have stuck with her over the decades.
Carlisle brings positivity and enthusiasm to her performances, smiling and moving about the stage rather than just standing still behind a mic stand. And she still shows off some playful, silly dance moves on uptempo numbers.
While she has toned down the more choreographed aspects that marked her late ’80s tours, Carlisle appears to be having fun on stage and transmits that feeling to the crowd. Her genuine love of performing comes through at her concerts.
Backing Band
While some aging pop stars perform with prerecorded backing tracks at their shows, Carlisle still utilizes live instrumentalists to recreate her hits.
Her touring band is comprised of top-notch musicians, including several who have played with her for years or even decades. The tight four-piece can juggle pop, rock, new wave and light dance grooves adeptly. And they help fill out the sound on Carlisle’s pop anthems.
In recent live reviews, critics have praised Carlisle’s band for playing well and complementing her without overpowering the music. The professional accompaniment helps round out the live experience.
What Reviewers Are Saying About Her Recent Shows
To get a sense of Belinda Carlisle’s strengths as a current live performer, it’s useful to examine some reviews from her most recent tours. Here are some highlights from the past few years:
Heaven on Earth 30th Anniversary Tour – 2018
This tour celebrated the 30th anniversary of Carlisle’s mega-hit album Heaven on Earth by playing it in full along with other hits. Reviewers praised her vocal mastery and enthusiasm:
– “Her voice remains a finely-tuned instrument.” – Gloucester Review
– “Her passion for performance and connecting with her fans was evident.” – York Press
– “Belinda had everyone dancing and singing along with huge smiles on their faces.” – Cheshire Live
Live Nation Tour – 2019
This worldwide trek hit arenas and outdoor festivals and saw Carlisle in top form:
– “Age has done nothing to diminish Carlisle’s vocal prowess or effervescent personality.” – Billboard
– “She powered enthusiastically through hit after hit, sounding and looking great.” – Irish Times
– “Her band was tight, her vocals strong, and her confidence on stage shone through.” – Edinburgh News
UK Tour – 2022
Carlisle’s most recent UK tour drew raves:
– “Her distinctive voice remains mostly unchanged by time.” – Manchester Evening News
– “She had the crowd happily singing and dancing along from start to finish.” – Birmingham Live
– “For 90 minutes, we were reminded just how many truly brilliant pop songs Belinda Carlisle has delivered.” – The Independent
Does She Still Have It as a Live Performer?
Based on recent reviews, interviews and fan testimonials, Belinda Carlisle appears to remain an engaging, talented concert performer even after nearly 50 years in the spotlight. While she’s softened some of the flashier and more choreographed aspects of her 80s tours, she still delivers vocally and brings an infectious energy to the stage.
Key factors that contribute to Carlisle’s continued excellence as a live act include:
– Strong vocals – Her voice remains impressive and she ably sings her hits.
– Crowd connection – Carlisle is warm, authentic and enjoys interacting with audiences.
– Terrific band – Her live backing band provides solid accompaniment and musicianship.
– Ideal setlist – She strikes a nice balance between biggest hits, album cuts and new songs.
– Age-appropriate presentation – The show is still fun without seeming like she’s trying too hard to relive her glory days.
While her larger-than-life pop production of the 80s understandably isn’t matched today, Carlisle appears to be in great form and spirits these days as a concert act. Fans can still expect an enjoyable night of singing and dancing along to classics from an upbeat pop legend.
Setlist Example from 2022 UK Tour
To give a sense of what a Belinda Carlisle concert is like in 2022, here is the setlist from a show on her recent UK tour:
1. Mad About You
2. All I Need
3. Runaway Horses
4. La Luna
5. Vision of You
6. Live Your Life Be Free
7. I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)
8. Heaven is a Place on Earth
9. Circle in the Sand
10. We Got the Beat
11. Only a Dream
12. Leave a Light On
13. Summer Rain
14. Vacation
15. Mad About You (Reprise)
Encore:
16. Always Breaking My Heart
17. I Feel the Magic
18. Heaven is a Place on Earth (Reprise)
Conclusion
While some pop stars lose their luster as live performers as the decades roll on, Belinda Carlisle has retained her talents and maintains an exciting concert experience for fans. She can still deliver her catalogue of hits with confidence and quality vocals while displaying graciousness and engagement with audiences.
Carlisle rightfully remains a popular touring act who sells out venues around the globe. For pop music lovers, her concert represents a chance to hear 80s and 90s smashes played with passion decades later by the iconic singer behind them. Based on all accounts, Belinda Carlisle remains a top live performer still very much worth seeing in the latter stages of her storied career.