Another Great ORACLE Concert Review

[vivfox]

Thursday, November 15, 2007
Last night, Super Mondo Corp had their big trade show party. And by big, I mean big. Like Cow Palace and parking lot big. Playing that night as entertainment was Lenny Kravitz, Steve Nicks, and Billy Joel, who headlined.

Now, at one point, Prince was going to play. While he was supposed to play, some sort of fight broke out between somebody and one week Prince would headline, the next week Joel. Now this seemed kind of crazy to me because while Joel is deserving of some respect, we're talking about Prince. I guess it was a generational thing with the older execs thinking Joel is their cup of tea while anyone young enough to see "Purple Rain" thinking that nobody, but nobody gets higher billing then the Purple One. And seriously, would you rather watch Joel tinkling on a piano or Prince doing some sort of thirty minute funk jam. I'm not sure, but I wondered if they would both play the main stage and I'm thinking does Joel really think Prince should open for him? And I'm not talking about in terms of who is a bigger star, but I'm talking about the fact nobody can really top prince.

But whatevs-- Prince did not play anyways.

Billy Joel did get the headline and played the Palace central. While I think playing the corporate party circuit is probably a humiliating venture, Joel did manage to fill the place so I'm thinking it's in a way, the biggest audience he's played in front of years. While I'm not a fan (I'm kind of apathetic-- I don't hate him but don't really like him but think he's kind of talented anyways), he did put on a good show, except....

To play with the whole idea of playing in San Francisco, he did a few minutes of "Somebody to Love" and, then, God help us "Purple Haze."

I left the arena immediately in protest.

You know how the old saying was that there's a little Elvis in everyone. Well, you could say the same about Hendrix and there is no Hendrix at all in Billy Joel. Not even close. I heard from someone that they played a few snippets of "Highway to Hell" and, dear God, there is no AC/DC is Billy Joel at all. Ever and never.

So Harlan and I checked out some Stevie. She was actually pretty good-- her voice was phenomenal. She played all the big Fleetwood Mac songs (with Mick Fleetwood on the drums), Dave Mathews' "Crash" (?) and a few solo hits. Towards the end, there was a miny drum solo, then a beat kicked in, the guitarist started wailing, and then out came the recognizable groove to "Edge of Seventeen."

Yes, I was about to hear Ms. Nicks herself sing about the White Dove who sings a song sings a song ...and Sounds like she's singing... whoo...whoo...whoo. She wailed too.

Now I've seen a lot of bands. I've seen a lot of great bands playing a lot of great songs. I've also seen a lot of completely random bands doing randomm songs (the Hooters anyone? Madness?) but that had to be one of the most random moments of my musical life, the fact that I can say I have now seen Steve Nicks sing "Edge of Seventeen."

Top that.

See, the thing is that when I first started listening to rock radio, Steve was HUGE. Her first solo album had come out and every half an hour, the station (WYSP, represent) would either play "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" (an underrated gem if ever there was), "Leather and Lace," and, yes, "Seventeen." All I needed was Tom Petty himself to hop onstage to sing "Stop Draggin" and my inner twelve year old would have been happy.

And all thanks to Super Mondo Corporation.

http://hooray.blogspot.com/2007/11/l...had-their.html

[amber]

NICE.

It's even better when random semi/kinda but not obsessive fans say good things.
Even though I've seen it lots, when I'm at the concert, I always think at some point: "Holy crap, this is STEVIE F*CKING NICKS, and she's singing EO17! (or whichever song) I'm right in front of Stevie f*cking Nicks!!!"
So, for real, I get it. That's Stevie f*cking Nicks, you know?
It's weird, it takes you back in time, yet you are very much right there. Both at the same time. As if Timespace was all one... And you feel amazed that something that was so mythically great to your young self from the radio actually exists in person, you didn't imagine the talent and impact, it is true in real life. It wasn't just manufactured and radio studio glossed (I mean, a bit, but not so much). That girl really was her. Yeaheaheaheah. And then after that you marvel that she is "so old" but still kicks it out. Then you are amazed at the colossal lifespan of the Stevie Nicks, from the lyrics that hold up, to the voice that holds up, to the fact that just she herself holds up with constant touring for millions of years. Then you think about all the songs you know are great but that we don't hear on the radio or in person. Then you are amazed again at the sheer volume and quality of the work.
Then after thinking about all this, you drift back and think the same thing: "I can't believe I'm hearing Stevie f*cking Nicks!" Only with even more amazement.


Thanks for posting.

[SandyMac]

Originally Posted by amber

NICE.

It's even better when random semi/kinda but not obsessive fans say good things.
Even though I've seen it lots, when I'm at the concert, I always think at some point: "Holy crap, this is STEVIE F*CKING NICKS, and she's singing EO17! (or whichever song) I'm right in front of Stevie f*cking Nicks!!!"
So, for real, I get it. That's Stevie f*cking Nicks, you know?
It's weird, it takes you back in time, yet you are very much right there. Both at the same time. As if Timespace was all one... And you feel amazed that something that was so mythically great to your young self from the radio actually exists in person, you didn't imagine the talent and impact, it is true in real life. It wasn't just manufactured and radio studio glossed (I mean, a bit, but not so much). That girl really was her. Yeaheaheaheah. And then after that you marvel that she is "so old" but still kicks it out. Then you are amazed at the colossal lifespan of the Stevie Nicks, from the lyrics that hold up, to the voice that holds up, to the fact that just she herself holds up with constant touring for millions of years. Then you think about all the songs you know are great but that we don't hear on the radio or in person. Then you are amazed again at the sheer volume and quality of the work.
Then after thinking about all this, you drift back and think the same thing: "I can't believe I'm hearing Stevie f*cking Nicks!" Only with even more amazement.


Thanks for posting.

OMG you could not have stated this any better. I feel the same exact way about standing in a concert venue thinking I am really hearing Stevie f*cking Nicks live. And as the blogger said, my inner 12 year old is jumping up and down just like I did all those years ago every time a Stevie song came on the radio.