It's 25 years since the release of Suzanne Vega's eponymous debut album, a fact her manager apparently told her to keep quiet about on her latest tour. She doesn't comply. And why should she? It's something to be celebrated, with a selection of classic songs from that record (including Marlene On The Wall and Small Blue Thing) plus other greats from her impressive catalogue - Caramel, Frank & Ava, In Liverpool... and, of course, the twin behemoths of Tom's Diner and Luka.
Vega's voice sounds better than ever. Warm, rich and just like caramel itself, while she hardly seems to have aged from the waif like singer songwriter who dared to buck the mid-eighties trend of high-production sheen with her folky acoustic ways.
I've been a fan since the late 80s, yet this was the first chance I've had to enjoy Suzy V live and the Lowry Theatre was the perfect venue (and not just because I could sit down - no more standing gigs till my back is fixed, I'm afraid!) with impressive acoustics and a mature, well-behaved audience. Sadly she didn't play my favourite (99.9 °F), but she did persuade me that her new album of re-recordings will definitely be worth a listen. Some singers just get better...
