Editor's Blog - Wednesday, 23rd July
| Author: Ken The Editor | Published: 23rd July 2008 10:56 |
Last evening I went to see Chaka Khan "with special guests" at the Indigo O2. By the way, it's a much more intimate venue than the main arena - even sitting right at the back you can actually see who's on stage.
My e-ticket helpfully told me that the doors opened at 7.00pm, but somewhat less helpfully did not tell me what time it began. So I phoned the O2 help line and after several minutes of fighting my way through their automated information system ("press 1 for venue information", "press 2 for travel information", etc, etc) I managed to speak to a human being. She told me that the support act, Nate Jones, was on at 8.00pm and that Ms Khan would be gracing the stage at 9.00pm. Why couldn't they have printed that on my e-ticket? The bloody thing is A4, so there was plenty of room!
I did a quick search on Google for Nate Jones and found some video clips on You Tube. My assessment was that he was nothing to write home about and that I could probably give him a miss.
I got to the O2 around 8.30pm - just in time to hear ‘special guests' Nate and his mates belt out their last couple of tunes. I have to say that my assessment based upon the You Tube evidence turned out to be pretty accurate!
There was then a 30 minute break, which gave me time to study my fellow concert-goers. What an interesting bunch! Sitting next to me were two gays - one well into his 40s and the other probably in his late 20s. The younger guy described himself as a ‘Chaka-holic' and was clearly very excited at the prospect of seeing his heroine live. The older guy seems to be pretty nonplussed by the whole thing, and it looked like he was only there to support his partner.
Just as the lights started to dim, a couple arrived to fill the two seats in front of me that had been empty. They were certainly an odd couple: a guy in his 40s dressed in a white suit with a wide-brimmed white hat (more Hercules Poirot than John Travolta); and a leggy ‘lady' of similar age wearing a red mini dress and plastered in make-up. There was something about this ‘lady' that didn't quite stack up and after a few seconds I realised what it was - she had a rather large Adam's apple! What a give-away! Oh well, I thought, live and let live. Mind you, her legs were quite shapely for a bloke!
The lights dimmed, the musicians appeared on stage and the crowd went wild as a lady in a white trouser-suit appeared. Unfortunately, she was one only one of the backing singers so everyone sat down again whilst the band played a couple of non-descript numbers.
The guitarist then announced "Give it up for the first lady of funk" and a vision in purple duly appeared on stage - and the assembled masses really did go wild. I don't know if you have ever been to the Indigo O2, but there's a large standing area downstairs and an upstairs balcony with seating. I was in the seated area - buy I don't know why I bothered as everyone stood up in any case!
She started with a couple of numbers from the 70s and everyone was moving along with the beat. Well almost everyone - there was not a lot of movement from Hercules Poirot or elder gay, but their respective partners more than made up for their lack of activity.
We were then told that the latest album was called "Funk This" - at least I think she said "Funk" - and we were treated to several songs from said album. After about half dozen songs they were all starting to sound the same to me, and I was thinking something very similar to the album title! Younger gay was clearly enjoying it - he was singling along with every song (he knew all the words) and was even mimicking the hand movements of the backing singers. Lady In Red kept whispering in her companion's ear - so much so that the left side of the brim of his hat was starting to curl up where she had been pressing her sweaty forehead against it and he now looked more like an extra from It Ain't ‘Alf Hot Mum!
Chaka is getting on a bit (she is exactly six months older than me) and has recently put on a few pounds, so between every number we were treated to a demonstration of how to wipe the sweat off your brow with a towel without destroying your hair-do or make-up. I hope Lady In Red was taking notes!
It was clear that Chaka Khan was not going to keep up that pace all evening and after an hour or so she retreated into a couple of slower numbers - which gave her an excuse to sit on a stool and rest. I really liked this slower stuff - she has an amazing voice.
It was then approaching the end and we were back in the 70s once again. Every body standing, singling along (especially younger gay) and dancing in time to the music - even Hercules Poirot got into the groove (as I rather suspect he would be after the show too!).
All in all a slightly disappointing night - too much ‘funk' for my taste and not a single number from last year's brilliant album ‘Classikhan' where she covered a number of older, classic songs (check out her version of The Best Is Yet To Come - it's brilliant!). However, it was well worth the £27.50 that I shelled out for my ticket just to watch the audience!
Toodle pip.
What do you think?
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