“One of the things I’ve learned over the last 25 years, is that only once you’ve performed a song live do you really get the essence of what it is you’ve written.”

This is the opening quote from Alison Moyet in Yaz’s tour programme for their Reconnected Tour 2008. Last night’s show at 9:30 Club was, in one word, flawless. The sound was great, actually not too loud. The visuals were great, utilizing IBM’s original 8-color palette of early 80s computers. And Moyet’s voice was incredible. Her enthusiasm and genuine appreciation of the audience’s reaction was heartwarming. You could tell that she and Vince Clarke were really enjoying playing these songs from 26 years ago, some of which, the ones from their second album, they never had a chance to perform live due to the implosion of the band.

They played all the songs I wanted to hear, yet the evening’s most magical moment came when Moyet asked everyone to silence their conversations for the next three minutes and they launched into the stark, ominous Winter Kills. The crowd relented and it was as quiet as a concert hall. Absolutely spectacular. 

The setlist:

Nobody’s Diary
Bad Connection
Mr. Blue
Good Times
Tuesday
Ode to Boy
Goodbye ’70s
Too Pieces
In My Room
Anyone
I Before E Except After C (remixed!)
Walk Away From Love
State Farm
Sweet Thing
Winter Kills
Midnight
Unmarked
Bring Your Love Down (Didn’t I)
Don’t Go
—
Only You
Situation

Yaz’s Reconnected Tour pumps its way through DC on Sunday, fresh from three nights in the Big Apple. We get to experience the show towards the end of the tour, with only one show in Dallas and one more in Cali to wrap it up, so hopefully Alison and Vince will be relaxed, confident and technical blips will be non-existent.

They also have recently released a 4-Disc Box Set, “In Your Room”, complete of pretty much everything recorded yet remastered (they only put out two full-length albums), b-sides, remixes and additional DVD featuring new interviews and vintage television performances. I hope to pick this up tomorrow so I can jam on that 2nd album and get more familiar with it before the show. Upstairs At Eric’s, their debut, is well engrained into my mind and life.

Since The Cheese Stands Alone took the bestest title “Blue-Eyed Dressed for Every Situation” for his post when seeing them in L.A., I have to settle for this one. Do you know which Yaz song it’s from?

Joe.My.God. has a great review of the show in NYC and also live video of “Don’t Go”. And I tried my best to not look at the setlist… Didn’t I bring your love down? Indeed.