Meshell Ndegeocello at the Washington DC, Atlanta and Charlotte shows

[Kiwi]

[url="http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=95747580&blogID=262875460"]http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...logID=262875460[/url]

Her manager says:

[i]"These dates were misrepresented to her fans and ticket buyers by the promoter of these 3 shows (DC, Charlotte & Atlanta). Meshell had warmly agreed to participate in a double-billed show with her and W. Ellington Felton - Meshell going on first and introducing some NEW music, then introducing W. Ellington Felton, playing a tune or so together and then letting him play for the crowd.

She - as those who love and appreciate her artistry know - is not ever likely to play a date filled with past music. She may inject a few 'old' songs into the set (as the mood takes her) but is not the type of artist that likes to dwell in the past. It was not until we arrived at the venue in DC that we learned that the promoter had thoroughly disrespected our wishes about the setup and promotion of the show and had also not thought it appropriate to inform us before we arrived. At the end of the day most have no idea that this is the case and it only reflects negatively on her - no matter that the promoter is ultimately responsible.

I am so proud of her for going on with the DC show - despite a terrible cough and a general feeling of malaise about the whole thing. We were met with the same scenario in Charlotte and Atlanta - in Atlanta people chose to disregard the requests of no flash photography and pummeled her from the front row until she passed out and fell over - and she STILL came back and performed an electrifying set - against my better judgment. I have read some of the comments (and have been sent many) but feel the fans should know that - even with all the misrepresentation by the responsible party Meshell IS aware and respectful of her fans and the folks who bought tickets to see her - however misguided they were.

Was she angry? Yes indeed.

The beauty of a Meshell as an artist is she is ever-creative and moving forward with her creativity. The beauty of her shows is that we - the audience - get to participate in that process. Any true music lover knows that in a live performance setting the energy between artist and audience work together to create something unique and truly worth being there for. For no one more than Meshell this is true. If the audience are coming to her shows to hear their favorite CD cuts they should think twice about their own expectations. Expectations can only cause suffering.

The promoter was missing in action of course and - for that - he has to live with himself. Shame on him.

--Meshell's manager"[/i]

Anyone find the sense of indignation a bit odourous?

Her OFFICIAL Myspace page owner says:

[i]"Yeah, there were a couple of folks taking photos, but this seems to happen at every concert of her's. This will continue since she is always gaining new admirers, and no matter how many times I personally tell people that using flash photography while taking a photo of Meshell can kill her, people will continue to do so unless they are warned THAT NIGHT by Meshell personally before the first note of music is played. I feel it's unfair to blame the fans who might not have seen the "No Flash Photography" signs in the dark venue. It's also unfair to blame them if they don't read their tickets. Folks don't know WHY they are being asked not to use flash photography. They need to be told at the beginning of every show. And the only person they'll listen to is Meshell. But hey, that's just my opinion.

Yeah, it hurt reading what I read about the Atlanta show. Reading and approving of every heartbreaking comment posted by her admirers. Especially those that were at their first Meshell concert, saying it would also be their last. It hurt me knowing that they're going to miss out on what so many of us have experienced seeing Meshell live. To those of you, if you're still reading, this week has been an aberration.

I know that Meshell loves and respects her fans, but from what I've been told by many who were at the Atlanta show, well... let's just say I'm thankful nothing from this past week has been memorialized on Youtube. To me, the water bottle incident, the cursing out folks -- it's just not the Meshell most of us have experienced in a live setting."[/i]

[Kiwi]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='49770' date='Aug 23 2007, 07:51 PM']Well, she had an epileptic fit brought on by flash photography...[/quote]
it seems there was more as well, judging by some of those posted reactions

[Rich]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='49833' date='Aug 23 2007, 10:11 PM']Epilepsy isn't like fainting.[/quote]Sheeeit, you aren't wrong there. I'm amazed she managed to play at all -- whenever I've had a seizure in the past it's taken me hours, [i]days[/i] to start feeling right again. Christ, it takes me a while to even remember my own name, never mind how to play.

[The Funk]

Someone ballsed up by not telling the audience the reason that flash photography is not allowed.

[Kiwi]

It seems like a hell of a health risk for her to take though, doesn't it? Only thing I can think of to sort the situation out is for Prince-style confiscations of all flash capable cameras at the door.

[The Funk]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='50099' date='Aug 24 2007, 01:08 PM']It seems like a hell of a health risk for her to take though, doesn't it? Only thing I can think of to sort the situation out is for Prince-style confiscations of all flash capable cameras at the door.[/quote]

That's the probably the safest and simplest way. I'm sure noone in the audience would take pictures if people realised it was because of her epilepsy and not because she doesn't want people to have photos of the gig.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='The Funk' post='50163' date='Aug 24 2007, 02:21 PM']That's the probably the safest and simplest way. I'm sure noone in the audience would take pictures if people realised it was because of her epilepsy and not because she doesn't want people to have photos of the gig.[/quote]
If you read some of the posts on that myspace profile, it looks like she threw water at people and verbally abused them as well. Any other artist might have walked off stage and refused to come back on. Alternatively, the promoter could hired blokes with torches to shine them on 'flashers' in the audience so the bouncers could move in on the floor with a one-time warning (which is what happened at the Prince after show party).

[The Funk]

It seems that the promoter was the one who ballsed it up. Or that's what some people are suggesting.

[Kiwi]

Heh, if she'd walked off the promoter would have had a problem too.

[terryblyth]

If I had waited years to see a musical hero, then got down to the front of the stage and had water thrown on me and swore at because of the actions of some other people, I'd very quickly change my view of them. Those people taking photos were in the wrong (IF a warning HAD been given), but to take mass action like that was IMO very bad form.