Belinda Carlisle

Belinda Carlisle danced onto the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on Friday night with her “Heavenly Hits Tour,” presenting a catalogue that has rightly endured for more than four decades. If you only know her for ‘Heaven is a place on Earth’ the sheer number of hits would have been a revelation and her vocals, even fuller with time lend a deeper timbre to songs that touch the soul and lift the spirits.

Dressed in a long pleated silver sequinned skirt and black sequinned top, Carlisle looked relaxed yet glamorous as she twirled barefoot on a carpet which seem to have be lifted from her living room. The whole atmosphere she created was one of escapism and nostalgic fun delivered by serious musicians.

The evening opened with Runaway Horses, a choice that set the stage for a performance steeped in the sleek pop production that made her name. Backed by a tightly drilled band, Carlisle moved seamlessly into (We Want) The Same Thing and Big Big Love, each track rendered with energy and clarity. There were smiles all round the Apollo as hits long familiar to her audience mixed with some lesser known, deceptively simple pop songs.

Do You Feel Like I Feel? and Should I Let You In? kept the tempo high before giving way to the more contemplative I Get Weak and Circle in the Sand. The latter in particular benefited from the Apollo’s acoustics, Carlisle’s vocal line floating over rich instrumental textures. Vision of You and La Luna followed, both handled with nuance and poise, demonstrating how she continues to inhabit the songs with fresh vison.

Mad About You was dispatched with charm and precision, a reminder of her early solo success. Valentine introduced a more measured mood, Carlisle leaning into its romantic phrasing with authority. Summer Rain which Carlisle revealed was the favourite song she had ever written was indeed a standout, adding breadth and complexity with a sharp arrangement from the band.

Production values remained subtle rather than extravagant. Lighting cues supported the shifts in tone, and the band maintained a strong foundation throughout. Backing vocals were carefully arranged, reinforcing choruses without distracting from Carlisle’s lead. Although looking incredible (hard to believe she is 65), the focus was on performance rather than spectacle, but the truth is that the presence of Carlisle herself, barefoot and engaging directly with the crowd, was a star, with charisma in plenty.

The later section of the show delivered the hits that many had waited for. Leave a Light On arrived with force, the iconic guitar figure greeted with immediate recognition. Heaven Is a Place on Earth, placed towards the close, may have been what we were all waiting for but it was rattled off without much consequence. Instead she brought the show to a close with Live Your Life Be Free, an anthem that seemed to suit a successful woman who has shed the anxieties of youth and is able to express herself with assurance and warmth.

Far from being a nostalgia act, Belinda Carlisle remains a vocalist and performer of substance. The Apollo provided the perfect stage for an evening that confirmed her status as one of pop’s most consistent and distinctive voices.