BUM 'N' BASS

So there's been lots going on of course. It's just that I've somehow lost the ability to log it all. I mean Steve and Lo came back to stay for another week, which was loads of fun, oh and we're heading for bankruptcy on account of the TH's housing allowance mysteriously CEASING ALTOGETHER! But really, all that pales into insignificance in the light of tonight's gig.
I am a serious Me'shell Ndegeocello fan, but the TH is even more so. So his valentine treat from me was tonight's gig at Joe's Pub. Totally sold out of course, huge anticipation vibe, the place rocking out to DJ Beverley Bond's hardcore funk intro. Then Me'shell comes on with a SERIOUSLY AMAZING band. But during the first number a half-dressed woman(?)appears in the very tenuous 'gangway' doing a dubious 'erotic' dance, flinging a feather boa in everyone's face. Uh? I am thinking maybe this is a quirk, like from the audience. The place is full of them after all - the guy sitting next to me is swaying to the music so alarmingly that if I don't sway along with him I'll get knocked out. I'm a little distracted, but she disappears, so all is good, that is until she re-appears on the stage......
She then proceeds to dance around Me'shell, sucking on random mics and licking any musician bodily part which presented itself, before taking off her top. This is so incongruous with what we all expect from a Me'shell gig that the audience is somewhat.... errrrr...gobsmacked? Call me old-fashioned, but believe me it's really really hard to appreciate a Robert Glasper or Jason Lindner solo when there is a practically naked woman doing a headstand in your lap with her feet on your shoulders, which is exactly what happened to me a couple of numbers later.....
(And no, 'could you get off me please, I'm trying to watch the gig' wouldn't have worked under the circumstances/position.)



At one point there was a bra hanging on Me'shell's mic (naturally), and the sound guy needed to change the mic. He proceeded to do this, then carefully replaced the bra on the new mic.....a pure comedy moment. I have no idea what was happening at that gig tonight. The band were awesome and groovesome - I mean you can't fault Charles Haynes, Oren Bloedow, Mark Kelley, Brandon Ross etc - they're amazing musicians, but this was like a Burlesque show. Me'shell I think (?) sensed the audience confusion - 'I'm just trying out some things that are going on in my head'.....errrrrrr okaaaaaay...... ? It's absolutely bizarre to me that she should feel that anything else is necessary apart from her music. She is a genius bass-player, vocalist, composer. Why on earth does she need anyone or anything to distract from this that we all came to see and hear?
Hey whatever. We all do what we have to do, but the lack of demand for an encore after what was a stunning night of music kind of said it all.....