Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary 10/30/09

The reason for this break from form is that I got a free ticket through the marvelous 1iota.com, a site that gave away obstructed view seats behind the stage. Given that some regular seats in Madison Square Garden went for $2500, this was a hell of a deal. However, throughout the night both the sound and sightlines for those of us behind the stage were so shaky I can’t justify trying to give an “objective” view of the concert. I can, however, talk about experiencing a one-in-a-lifetime show from the cheap seats.

Having two stages on a rotating platform eliminated changeover time. A brilliant move for a show with a lot of artists. One artist finishes, the stage rotates, and the next is ready to go. Then the crew set up the other stage for the next one, out of sight of the audience (except for us, of course).
Tom Hanks introduced the proceedings, but as tended to happen whenever anyone spoke, we in the back could not understand a word he said. In fact, the sound was so crazy-muffled for many acts (Jeff Beck being an enjoyable exception) it took a while to recognize even the most familiar songs. Generally it seemed the larger the band, the harder it was to hear.



With Jimi Hendrix long gone, the only guitarist who could truly match the licks Beck was unleashing was the legendary Buddy Guy, who soon brought his axe out for a searing “Let Me Love You.” Guy’s underrated vocals almost stole the show from the dueling guitars though as he crooned and helped his way through the twelve-bar staple.
Guy was followed by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, the man with the biggest beard in rock and roll. After barreling through ZZ Top’s “Rough Boy” he led the crowd through “Foxy Lady” while a large image of Hendrix lit up a recently-descended screen behind the band. While this blocked the view completely for us 1iota.com fans, it only came down rarely, and we still had monitors to watch. Beck’s jazz-rock improvisation through “A Day in the Life” capped things off.

James Hetfield introduced the next singer as “the crazy guy who epitomizes the rock and roll singer.” It couldn’t be anyone but Ozzy Osbourne. The reality star roamed the stage performing Black Sabbath classics “Iron Man” and “Paranoid,” yelling at a complacent audience to get on their feet and participate. No bats were eaten after Ozzy’s family-man makeover, but the mystique remained strong.

A Queen cover and “Enter Sandman” later, U2 took the stage. Things kicked off in high gear with “Vertigo,” and “Magnificent didn’t kill the momentum too badly. Any slow-song boredom was soon shed though when Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith came out to perform “Because the Night” (a Smith hit they co-wrote) for only the second time ever (video). Since this review is first-person personal anyway, I’ll say this was the best concert moment I have ever witnessed. As Bruce soloed and Patti sung the bridge, they butted heads in a mini-duel while Bono laughed behind them.

As this once-in-a-lifetime performance rolled along (with Roy Bitten handling the piano part), many in the crowd hoped it would never end. So imagine the excitement when, for the only time the whole night, the band decided the first run-through had been too sloppy for TV. They had to do it again. Cue died-and-gone-to-heaven swooning.
Springsteen stuck around to duet with Bono on “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” bringing some much-needed passion to this lite-FM staple. Hugs all around and the Boss has left the building!

Will.I.Am moved over to the piano and Fergie strolled over to drummer Larry Mullin, Jr. while the lyrics to the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” came up on the teleprompter. Those of us behind the stage gave a collective intake of breath. There was a rumor of course, but…no. It couldn’t be... Surely he wouldn’t…

Mick stuck around for U2’s treacle-fest “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of.” Like Springsteen before him, Jagger brought new vitality to this alt-contemporary dirge in a duet with Bono, his face glowing with excitement. Jagger strutted offstage with the quartet, who returned sans-Stone for the entirely appropriate “A Beautiful Day.”


Jerry Lee Lewis:
Great Balls of Fire
Aretha Franklin:
Baby, I Love You
Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)
Make Them Hear You
Chain of Fools (w/ Annie Lennox)
New York, New York
Think (w/ Lenny Kravitz)
Respect
Jeff Beck:
Drown in My Own Tears
People Get Ready (w/ Sting)
Freeway Boogie
Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers
Rock Me Baby (w/ Buddy Guy)
Big Block
Rice Pudding
Rough Boy (w/ Billy Gibbons)
Foxy Lady (w/ Billy Gibbons)
A Day in the Life
Metallica:
For Whom the Bell Tolls
One
Turn the Page
Sweet Jane (w/ Lou Reed)
White Light/White Heat (w/ Lou Reed)
Iron Man (w/ Ozzy Osbourne)
Paranoid (w/ Ozzy Osbourne)
You Really Got Me (w/ Ray Davies)
All Day and All of the Night (w/ Ray Davies)
Stone Cold Crazy
Enter Sandman
U2 :
Vertigo
Magnificent
Because the Night #1 (w/ Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith)
Because the Night #2 (w/ Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith)
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (w/ Bruce Springsteen)
Mysterious Ways
Where Is the Love (w/ Black Eyed Peas)
Gimme Shelter (w/ Mick Jagger, Fergie, Will.I.Am)
Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of (w/ Mick Jagger)
Beautiful Day
Labels: Aretha Franklin, Black Eyed Peas, Bruce Springsteen, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Lou Reed, Metallica, Mick Jagger, Ozzy Osbourne, Patti Smith, Ray Davies, Sting, U2
4 Comments:
WOW. I can't believe you were there! Been watching all the youtube videos and marveling at the band/artist combos. Killer deal with a behind the scenes vantage point too.
Did you say something about Metalica topping Jeff Beck's guitar
distortion????LOLOLOL!! OH PAAAAALEEEEZZZZE!!! Then you haven't heard Jeff Beck...LOLOL you fool.
Wow - great review. Wish I could have experienced Bruce with Bono and Bruce with Patti Smith. Lucky dog.
I'm seeing Springsteen on the 15th and the band is going to do the whole Born to Run album. Yay!
I need to read your Springsteen concert review now.
woo-hoo!
hey, faceless and anonymous guy... why not be respectful? especially since Metallica obviously DOES use more distortion than Jeff, or most other rock bands (for the record, i'd rather watch Jeff...).
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