Last week of her 1999 tour.
Dec 29 '00 (Updated Jan 01 '01)
There are only a handful of artists from my generation that can do the things that the artists of earlier generations can do. Write and produce their own music. Play multiple instruments, and excell while playing them at levels that only few others can reach. Sing with a voice that both catches your attention with the subtle sexuality, and then moments later, stuns you with it's political honesty.
Me'Shell NdegéOcello does all of these things, and to see them on stage, with the band/family she has put together is an almost religious experience.
I was lucky enough to catch her show at the Showbox in Seattle in mid December of 1999, and was so stunned by the set that the next day I made plans (which was quite expensive that time of the year to be making on such short notice) to catch her final two shows of the tour in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
I met Me'Shell outside the Showbox before the show, and my best memory was of a guy around my age asking to have her autograph a CD of her's. She asked what his son's (around the same age as her son) name was, and made conversation with him while she signed the CD booklet. It was a definitely a Hallmark moment.
As I wrote above, it was mid-December, and I didn't pack warm enough for California. I made it to the show about 4 hours before the doors were supposed to open after flying down earlier that day. The bandmembers recognized me, and let me on the bus to keep warm. We spent the following few hours before the show listening to some unreleased live Prince CDs that I'd brought to share with them on the off chance that I'd have the opportunity to. I had as much fun just hanging out with them and watching their reactions to the music, then I did at her the concert that evening.
The next night, was the final stop on the tour. It was at the House Of Blues on Sunset Strip. After spending the night at a friend's house in San Francisco, we all took different flights to Los Angeles, and met upstairs after the show in the VIP lounge to thank Me'Shell for a great week.
The concert in L.A. was the best, most notably for the duet with Joe Henry on "Wasted Time" (her favorite track off of "Bitter.") Her band was funkiest band I'd ever seen (that includes Prince's 1985 Revolution band, and 1995 NPG bands, as well as David Sanborn with Hiram Bullock, Marcus Miller, and Ricky Peterson in his band.)
Over the years, I've picked up a ton of Prince bootlegs, and have found that I enjoy rehearsals and aftershows more than actual concerts. It's always cool to hear a riff or something by an artist you admire that you'll probably never hear from them again. Catching the rehearsals at the 3 shows were worth the trip by themselves. Me'Shell has that Prince sense of humor. The looks at the guitarist when he didn't follow her lead at one point were funny. You knew she was serious, but she didn't berate her fellow artists like Prince has been long rumored to.
Before posting my review, it is suggested that I post both the good AND the bad. The bad... hmm... let me think...
Oh! I remember! The concert ended... :) That was bad...
As much as I recommend buying her music, she must be experienced live to see her true talent. A bandleader, poet, and underrated vocalist, not to mention the best bass player on the planet...
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Epinions.com ID:
suomynona
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Member: Matthew
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Reviews written: 22
Trusted by: 5 members
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