Saturday night’s concert was a huge disappointment. I don’t even know where to start, I am between despondent over it and completely pissed off over what happened. Jack White played for less than hour and then he left the stage. We all thought he was taking a break and he’d come back out. After waiting twenty minutes, the curtains came down and they announced that the show was over. The complete outrage that rang throughout the crown was palpable. I sincerely could NOT believe it.
I had gotten there early, sat in a mostly empty theater and read a book. I love the quiet of an empty theater before a show. There is a hushed sound for a good long while, before the crowds come in, that leaves me feeling peaceful. I was excited but calm. I even broke my healthy eating choices by having a hot dog with mustard and a ginger ale for dinner. Ergh! I regretted that decision much later.
Anyway, the opening act was not my cup of tea. It was twangy act from the Midwest that left me yawning. It happens. They only sang a few songs but I had to take a walk around to get away from listening to them. It’s been a long time since I walked around Radio City Music Hall and I’d forgotten how it looks with its red velvet carpets and gawdy gold walls. Another break between opening act and then Jack White was on.
White played with the all-male band. He played a bit erratic, he’d start up an intro to one song and then cross over to another intro to another song before settling in on some version of a third song. I don’t know what the fuck he was doing. He was having trouble with the sound in the venue, there was a back echo that was making him mad. He was having trouble with how calm the place was at the beginning because he asked the audience if “this was an NPR convention?” which was meant to be funny but it came off as snide. I’m not sure what he was expecting? This was a sit down venue and everyone was on their feet…what more was he expecting with the limitations of the space? Folks bum-rushing the stage? He also had some choice words for folks in the front rows. I think he was arguing with someone who was taking either pics of him or video. He kept yelling at them to cut it out. Then he also castigated someone for clapping in between a song, he was offended. Really?! He did play an okay set…he had a really good moment with his electric guitar but one moment does not a concert make. Anyway, when he finally signed off, I thought he was just taking a break and he’d be back. But alas, that did not happen.
I’ve always heard that he was a bit of a diva but I wrote it off as being eccentric. After all, his talent level was on the high side so it was easy to write off. Now his eccentricity was affecting ME [yes, I am having a selfish moment] and I was not happy. I paid hard-earned money to see him live and I resented the fact that he gave us less than an hour’s worth of show. In that case, I could have watched a YouTube version of the show for free. The couple who sat in front of me kept going on and on about how they paid $500 for their tickets and how it was the last time they’d go to one of his concerts. I’m with them. WTF? I was livid as I left the theater. So much so that I got into a shouting match out in the streets with some random New Yorkers. I surprised myself. My apologies for losing my damn mind. I may not have paid $500 for the ticket BUT this concert-going experience has left a sour taste. Believe me when I tell you, I am BITTER!!
Good thing that my last concert for this season will be HEART! I am hoping they will right the wrongs of this past Saturday by giving a kick ass performance this coming Wednesday. After Heart, I’m taking a break from the live concert experience, perhaps save a little cash to go on holiday in the New Year. Some friends want to go to London and I am making a serious plea for Barcelona or Greece. We shall see, we shall see.
I am off to make myself a cup of tea, to remind me that I was civilized once upon a time.
Peace,
L~
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