M.E. Concert
Friday night
we went to a Melissa Etheridge concert.
Mrs. C loves concerts, myself not so much. This concert was in New Brunswick, only 15
minutes away, so that makes it less painful for me.
I’d heard of
Melissa, but I missed the eighties and much of the nineties. No, not drugs…kids. Anyway, I did not know what to expect.
She put on a
very good show. She is a powerful guitar
player, playing several styles and shifting between twelve strings (very cool
sound) and six. She also has a powerful
bluesy voice, a little Joplinesque.
The theater
was packed, probably 3000 strong. One
thing I do like to do at concerts is people watch. This concert was interesting. It seems it was predominately women. Most of these women apparently left their
husbands home and came with another lady friend. They were very into Melissa.
As much as I
like music, and as much as I enjoyed ME’s performance I never have an urge to
get up and dance. Many in the audience
felt different. They danced in the
isles, if you call it dancing, and in their seats. There was a lot of arm raising and
pointing. Whenever Melissa started a
song that they knew there were guttural screams of delight…I don’t believe I
have ever in my life been so thrilled about anything that I had to let out a
guttural scream.
It was an
excellent show and I enjoyed it. I did
have an issue with the seating. I am all
of 5’ 9” and my knees were scrunched against the seat in front of me. What the hell does a man over 6’ do? At least I was able to stand up occasionally
to stretch and also see over those raised hands.
One other
question. Why do people applaud with
their hands over their head? I call it
the high clap. It is not as if the
performer is going to see them and invite them backstage because they are such
super fans.
Look at me, I'm clapping!
After the
concert, I needed to use the men’s room.
The line to the men’s room was negligible. The line to the lady’s room was a mile long,
after all, women do take longer and the concert was about 85% women.
Many women
apparently got tired of waiting and invaded the men’s room to use the
stalls. With all the hoo-ha in the news
about gender specific restrooms…it was not a big deal. It’s not like these women could use the
urinals, and no one cares who is in a private stall.
Ooh a woman could see me standing by
a urinal!!
What a
non-event.
That’s all I
have, it was a great show, we had a good time.
I have to admit. I get pretty excited with the gutteral screams and high claps at Kid Rock concerts and if I ever get to see Eminem. It will be like a Beatles flashback mob scene. Seriously. I'm like every black woman who wins on The Price Is Right. :) - I bet ME was a great concert.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere a long time ago that the "average" woman takes 1-2 minutes to take care of bathroom needs and the man half that time. It bears to reason that women should have double the space for bathrooms, but they don't. I also read some place they have bathroom monitors to keep things running so to speak, directing women to open stalls, etc.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great concert! ME must be a bit up in age these days I would imagine. Give me a minute, I'm going to do a google search......born in 1961, 4 years younger than me. Wow to have the stamina to still be performing!
betty
Has been years since I went to a concert, but it sounds like they haven't changed a bit. Glad you had a good time.
ReplyDeleteUm...the number of 6-foot tall men was probably negligible at the ME concert, too.
ReplyDeleteI saw ME on a TV show (maybe CROSSROADS on CMT) a long time ago with Dolly Parton, where they discussed their songwriting methods. It was fascinating.
Not far to drive to see a good concert. What a deal.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm too much of a germophobe to enjoy concerts. Haha
You can't beat live music and I'm guilty of the high clap (because they might see me - you never know and then they might invite me backstage and we might become best friends and they might start taking me on tour with them and stuff ... It COULD happen ...). I don't think I scream though but I can't be sure. SD drones along very loudly and tunelessly so I usually try to distance myself from him a bit.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could cope with all the screams that seem so popular now. It's years since I went to a concert, the last one(I think) was to see Gladys Knight. Brilliant! Screaming hadn't been invented then.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a very long time since i've been to a concert, and i'm not sure i would want to attend one now. My Sweetie is rather tall, so i'm not sure what he would do in a venue that had seats designed as those were.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to a concert, can't stand loud noise. I do feel as though I'm missing an interesting experience though.
ReplyDeleteThis is very typical of all concerts...high claps, dancing in the aisles and in front of chairs, screaming and singing along with favorite songs. The only difference is there is usually a better gender balance. You should go more often.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder why it is that people act as though bathrooms are such an issue. Although it is more common for women to slip into a men's room. But then, men can much more easily write their names in the snow.
ReplyDeleteI don't know this performer, but if she can handle a 12 string guitar, she has Leadbelly's stamp of approval.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had a great time. Now your done with concerts until the next one. Just saying. I don't care for them either. Just as soon see it on television.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
Never heard if Melissa Etheridge but glad you enjoyed the concert. I can't get my husband to concerts -- he is high tone deaf and loud music is painful to his ears.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a good time. I think all bathrooms should be unisex. All stalls should be private and lockable so women can feel safe.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a good time. The last concert I went to was out doors and had Joplin as the main liner. Most folks were stoned so it was fairly mellow. Not sure I could handle the screaming versions today.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephen about bathrooms--why not??
Why? What is the benefit? Would sure cost a lot to change current restroom situations and would upset a whole lot of people for what purpose? Now if you made men's rooms smaller and added more booths to the ladies room, no problem.
DeleteYou are a brave soul.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to The Beach Boys concert Sunday night. I'm not a huge fan but bought the tickets for my husband. I'm sure there will be a lot of high hand clapping and bad dancing but happy to get out and enjoy a good show. ME, come to my window, her lyric popped into my head. Steve Martinand Martin Short are coming to town. Interested?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the concert. Melissa Etheridge was quite well liked by my kids.
ReplyDeleteLong lines for ladies toilets have been happening since buildings were invented. If I had my way, any building where women were expected to congregate would have an entire floor dedicated to toilets, at least two dozen stalls and possibly three with a humongous supply of toilet paper available, plenty of wash basins and a side salon with mirrors for touching up hair and makeup.
Maybe a few extra stalls in the men's facilities too.
The last concert I went to was in the late 90's - Neil Diamond in Buffalo. I don't recall if there were other people. In my mind, it was just Neil and me.
ReplyDeleteI hate long bathroom lines. I just hold it.