Thursday, January 21, 2010
One of the first CDs I ever bought myself was Mariah Carey, Mariah’s debut album. I turned eight years old the day before the album was released in the United States. With however much money you give an eight year old for their birthday, I bought that CD with that money (along with New Kids on the Block's Step and By Step and A Tribe Called Quest's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.) I was IN love. Her voice was so beautiful to me. Naturally, I played that album OUT for months, to the point that I think my mother threatened to ground me for playing the album too much (no lie!).
One of the first CDs I ever bought myself was Mariah Carey, Mariah’s debut album. I turned eight years old the day before the album was released in the United States. With however much money you give an eight year old for their birthday, I bought that CD with that money (along with New Kids on the Block's Step and By Step and A Tribe Called Quest's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.) I was IN love. Her voice was so beautiful to me. Naturally, I played that album OUT for months, to the point that I think my mother threatened to ground me for playing the album too much (no lie!).
Fast forward 20 years, and the purchase of every album she’s released (yes even Glitter!), I suppose I would be considered a “fan”. However, funny enough – Mariah does not land in my Top Five Favorite Artists list (which I intend to write about at some point...but it’s such an internal struggle!).
This was my first time experiencing Mariah's live performance. I was looking forward to hearing any song from my top three favorite MC albums, which are:
3. Butterfly
2. The Emancipation of MiMi
1. Vision of Love
Let’s start with the venue...
Typically, venues generally prohibit cameras during concerts. Although I understand the logic to some degree, I feel that if I paid money to be there, I should be able to commemorate that adventure without having to purchase their overpriced paraphernalia! I post videos on YouTube quite often, so I understand that it can killed the surprise element of a show, but that rule still drives me crazy! To make a long story short – Hard Rock Live had camera fascists to make sure no one was taking pictures! They were strategic about who they hired. They didn’t hire high school and college kids to check tickets and walk around the venue, instead, they hired grandmas. You know what...it WORKED! Those were the snoopiest old women ever and don’t think you could take pictures and video on the sly, because they could see EVERYTHING! Needless to say, I didn’t get much footage of the show! The footage I DID get is extra choppy and fuzzy because I was trying not to get thrown out by the mean fascist camera ladies!!
Even that didn’t deter my excitement for the show...let’s get on Mariah.
The show started an HOUR late...not a huge deal, but it ended exactly ONE hour and FIFTEEN minutes from the start time! UM, EXCUSE ME!???!!?!? You have an average of 11 songs on each of your TWELVE original albums Mariah...that’s about 132 songs, and you only chose to do 17 songs?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Yes...only 17. There were so few, I can tell you exactly what they were:
"Fantasy (Def Club Mix)"
"Touch My Body"
"Make It Happen"
"Angles Cry"
"Angles Cry"
"Fly Like A Bird"
"It’s Like That"
"Always Be My Baby"
"Honey"
"My All"
"Hearbreaker"
"Shake it Off"
"Mine Again"
"Obsessed"
"It’s a Wrap"
"The Impossible"
"We Belong Together"
"Hero"
That’s a little more than the equivalent of ONE album! The tickets to her show weren’t particularly expensive, but I don’t feel like I got my money’s worth. From the list above, four of the songs were from The Emancipation of Mimi. While I understand that the album was well received and her most successful album in years (and one of my favorites), It is not what made her a star. I understand not performing songs from Glitter and Charmbracelet but she didn’t perform ANYTHING from Mariah Carey. I would have at LEAST taken the older songs in a medley!
Although the concert was shorter that I would have liked, she sounded great! It is well known that Mariah battled with severe stage fright and in recent years, a strained voice from overuse. She sounds a little shaky sometimes on her televised performances, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was quite impressed. One thing she absolutely doesn't do is dance! She barely moved on the stage, and her backup dancers gave the show a vegasy appeal.
I had some disappointments, but I don’t regret buying tickets to the show. You can’t talk about it, without being about it first!
Check out the pics and flicks!
Check out the pics and flicks!
Love.
Peace.
Music.
1 COMMENTS:
When I remember Mariah, I remember that image on the inside of her debut cover. You know it: black mini jersey dress, wild curly hair, seducing a big microphone, looking sultry.
This leaves an impression on a 9 year old boy like myself.
I also remember popping a recordable tape into my double-deck boom box and dubbing my voice over Mariah's for a duet version of Someday.
If I ever get a chance to sing with her, that would be my #1 pick.
I'm glad you had a blast.
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