I want my money back!
i got to the venue a little early because my ticket was at will call. there was already a line forming at the door so i'm glad i got there when i did. after about an hour wait, the line was around the corner. i killed time texting my girl ninja which was entertaining as usual. this being a meshell ndegeocello show and all, the crowd was obviously diverse. i remember texting ninja and saying i was broadening my racial profiling to include roughneck looking hybrids, thanks to clips i've seen of snoop pearson on "the wire". a little after nine they started to let us in. i was tempted to go upstairs and grab a seat but i already had my heart set on standing in front of the stage. i wore comfortable shoes so i was prepared. i initially took a seat on one of the ottomans the club offered as seats. not comfortable, but more comfortable than standing in front of an empty stage alone. when the crowd began to grow, i got up and found a good spot near the front. the opening act was a guy called w. e. felton. he put on a good show. a little animated but not in corny annoying way. i recognized one of his background singers from a show i saw with raheem devaughn last summer. i thought he could've performed a little longer. especially after what transpired later on in the evening.
the dj took over and kept the crowd hyped with a good mix of songs. i did my usual 2 step while sipping on a $4 bottle of fiji water anticipating meshell's performance. as the crowd continued to grow i ended up getting slightly stuck behind 2 chicks who were around my height but only taller because of their hair. one had some kind of 'fro which looked like she was in the beginning stages of growing locks. the other had what looked like a 2 week old sponge roller set. suddenly my chances of having a clear view of meshell were dimming. when meshell took the stage, i was really shocked at how small she was. she couldn’t have been taller than 5ft. she was also much chubbier than she was years ago. her attire alone would have gotten her some loose change by passing strangers had she taken a walk down peachtree during the work week. but all that didn’t matter because i just knew she was about to set that shit off! sadly i was mistaken.here's what happened, the venue did not post signs or inform the crowd that flash photography was not permitted. so of course, people were taking quite a few pics when she came on. the flashes bothered her so much she passed out from what could have been dizziness. there she was lying face down with her stagehand standing over her. she was helped up and left the stage.
after a few minutes she came back with a bottle of water dousing the crowd and looked very upset. she said something to the audience, but all i could make out were the foul 4 letter words letting me know it wasn’t pleasant. the chicks previously blocking my view and their respective girlfriends were upset by meshell's antics and left, clearing the way for me to stand at the front of the stage. i wasn’t sad to see them leave. meshell began her set and all seemed well. there was a bikini-clad woman who came out to dance while meshell performed. for me it was really random but some of the people enjoyed it. i thought she was a dude at first with great tucking techniques. but anyway, meshell performed a few songs (with the stage lights now turned off) and then abruptly left the stage. 
i had my "what the fuck?" look going real strong. the crowd started booing and people were getting a little pissed. i spoke to a woman standing next to me who was a big fan and had seen meshell perform many times. she told me meshell can be very bitchy and temperamental on stage sometimes. but even she was pissed at everything that was happening. after a few minutes, meshell came back and said something else to the crowd that i was unable to comprehend. (that fiji water was having the same effects as a martini because i couldn’t understand anything that night). the crowd booed her for whatever she said, and she told them she didn’t care and that we could boo her if we wanted. she began anther set and things were going smoothly. she finished up and this time left for good. i stayed a few minutes in hopes that just maybe she'd come back. but i eventually followed the crowd out of the club. overall i thought it was a waste. the venue clearly fucked up and for that meshell took her frustrations out on us. as pissed as i was (not nearly as a few people near me were) i would still like to see her again...maybe an outdoor day concert where flash photography wouldn't be a factor. that is all.
(my pics were taken with a camera phone without a flash. they came out better than i expected)
LAWD LAWD LAWD! I did not know my girl was 10 kinds of crazy! I have not had the pleasure of seeing her live. I know some people who are serious stans and will fly around the world to see her, I love her but it ain't that serious for me. I could have told you she's a lil bitty thing...but from the photos its obvious she has put on some weight. I'm still looking forward to seeing her perform live but if she throws some water on my perm..I may have to take her ass down to Chinatown for that shit lol. Check out her "Plantation Lullabies" cd...that's her first and my favorite.
PS: Thank you so much for the pics!
Posted by
Julia_Claudine_Deveraux |
12:16 PM
Wow, dareal that is messed up! Shoot concert tickets ain't cheap these days so I understand everyone being pissed. I agree that you would probably have a better time at an outdoor gig. No flash and you'll out of water throwing range.
I saw her several years ago at a movie theater in Berkeley, she was with her girlfriend and yes she is itty-bitty. But I'd never guess girlfriend is 5150. I'm glad she was sitting in front of me and not behind me, lol.
Posted by
Anonymous |
3:02 PM
And she threw water on the crowd because...lol. You tickled me so with the fiji water having the same affects as a martini.
Posted by
Joi |
9:00 AM
**if she throws some water on my perm..I may have to take her ass down to Chinatown for that shit**
LMAOOOO! I love chelly but she needs to get it together. But her music is the shit!
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:36 PM
Caught Me'Shell do a set before Mos Def and Black Jack Johnson. She seemed down to Earth and hell'a cool.
Where you at 2.0h?
Posted by
Dallas Penn |
5:20 AM
She was probably upset because she has epilepsy and the flashes from the cameras caused her to pass out...
http://www.freemyheart.com/gallery/181.html#epilepsy
Posted by
Anonymous |
12:50 AM