Good things come to those who wait. A familiar mantra for many of us, particularly those of us who maintain an undying affection and resilient patience—or restless impatience, depending on your tolerance threshold—for all things Sade. Since releasing their debut album Diamond Life nearly 33 years ago in the summer of 1984, the band has released just six albums. A shining testament to the triumph of quality over quantity, each of their six albums is magnificent.
Just over seven years have elapsed since the emergence of their last album, 2010’s Soldier of Love. And amidst recent sightings of the regal Ms. Adu with one Aubrey Drake Graham and reports that she declined Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s offer to grace the new Gorillaz long player Humanz with a guest-spot, the news the Albumism team and I really want to hear is that a new Sade album is forthcoming.
No such news yet, so we’re drowning our sorrows (i.e., boosting our spirits) by revisiting the band’s monumentally inspired 2011 concert performance that was captured and packaged up for the masses in the form of the Bring Me Home DVD and accompanying CD, released in 2012. Recorded on September 4, 2011 at Ontario, CA’s Citizens Business Bank Arena during their 2011 “Sade Live” tour, Adu and her band of brothers rip through a glorious 22-song set that stretches across the expanse of their recorded repertoire, including such timeless staples as “Smooth Operator,” “The Sweetest Taboo,” “Paradise,” “Love is Stronger Than Pride,” “Kiss of Life,” “By Your Side” and “Soldier of Love.”
"Since I was a little girl, music has woven itself into the fabric of my life," Adu confides following the opening number. "And it's helped to bring me back to land and put me on the right course when I've been lost adrift. And it's helped me down the rugged road. So for me to be up here making music for you...is the highest honor. It really is."
Relive the full concert below, and be sure to enjoy the special bonus, behind-the-scenes tour footage toward the end of the video playlist.
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