Belinda Carlisle @ OLG Stage, Niagara Falls, Ontario 2-23-25

It’s been a bit since we did a concert review. We thought a good way to get back into the swing of things was taken in the Belinda Carlisle show at the beautiful OLG Stage in Niagara Falls, Ontario. As you know, Carlisle also fronts the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band the Go Go’s. Before the Go Go’s do some shows in the spring, Carlisle got her feet wet by doing a solo show in Canada. She was accompanied by a 4-piece backing band.

Carlisle took to the stage barefoot and performed that way throughout the entire show. She went back to the ‘Runaway Horses’ LP and opened the show with “(We Want) The Same Thing.” For the next song, she dove into the Go Go’s catalog for the hit “Head Over Heels.” She didn’t say too much in between songs, as she mostly let the music do the talking. Her vocals really have held up after all of these years. It was no more evident than on “Vison of You.” That was just one of the many highlights throughout the set. She did talk about working with George Harrison of The Beatles on “Leave the Light On.” She stated he did the guitar work on the track, and then she remarked that “he was always her favorite.” She closed out the set with a barrage of songs including the mega solo hits “Mad About You” and “Heaven on Earth.” She came back and kept the momentum going with some of her and her band the Go Go’s most well known material. She started off with a great rendition of “Runaway Horses.” The biggest hits from the Go Go’s catalog in “Vacation” and “Our Lips are Sealed” followed. Maybe, a hidden message was sent by Carlisle as she closed her set with the anthem “Live Your Life Be Free.”

This was a fun show and the first time I saw Carlisle performer (in any setting) in well over a decade. She constantly was moving and dancing throughout the show. You can see she really still loves to perform and she still is able to do so at high level.

Setlist:

(We Want) The Same Thing

Head Over Heels (Go Go’s song)

Do You Feel Like I Feel?

World Without You

I Get Weak

La Luna

Summer Rain

Big Big Love

Circle in the Sand

Vision of You

Fool for Love