Saturday, July 17, 2004

Yesterday, I made it down to Artscape at around 2:45 in the afternoon. I immediately headed over to the ATM machines that were stationed in front of the MD Institute Book Store. I had to do this because I was hungry and had no money. I soon learned that the money had yet to arrive for the ATM machines. So there I was hungry and broke. I decided right then and there that I should first set down my chair and then head over to Rite Aid to get snacks and change.

When I got to the Sun Stage I was surprised to find that people already had blankets and chairs set out. Some of them were abandoned. I thought I would be the only nutty music fan to arrive so early. The show didn’t start until 7pm.

After I staked my claim on some land I took the light rail train down to Rite Aid. I could have walked but wasn’t too sure how far a walk it would have been.

While walking around the Artscape grounds I saw some artwork that I wanted to get. I was really taken by these three-dimensional like works on glass. I’d love to get one but they were a little too pricey. I think I may come back today and get a print from this guy who did African artwork on paper. The prints he had were more in my price range.

I tried to see if I could find booths for the Creative Alliance or the Art Mob, no such luck. However, I did find the booth for School 33. I should say that when I got there the majority of booths were just setting up.

I got back to my chair at around 3:15pm. When I got back I was surprised to see that four chairs had sprung up beside mine. The chairs had inhabitants who were very friendly. Also, I saw this girl who looked strikingly like my niece, Alexis, when she was 12-13 years old. It was so creepy. She was really skinny had the same facial expressions and everything. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
At around six the man who had laid out a big blanket next to my chair had finally arrived. He came with a cooler and three other people.

At around 4pm the pre-show started. The first performer was this woman from Virginia and her jazz band. She was full-figured. She wore glasses and a print blouse with tan pants. She started off her set with an accoppello version of Bob Marley’s, Redemption Song. Then a little into her set she introduced this old man who had written one of the songs she was going to sing. She said he was from New York. He looked like he was from Africa. I guess I felt this way because he was a dead ringer for South Africa’s, Bishop Desmond Tutu. He danced and sang along with her on stage. He looked happy as hell to be there. I’d never seen a more happier senior citizen.

The next group was yet another jazz act. This time the jazz act hailed from LA. The organizer of the show said that they called him up numerous times asking to be put on. They looked as though they were in two different groups. Three of the members of the band wore red jewel toned shirts. The guitar guitar player wore a blue plaid shirt and jeans. He looked like that guy from the Eurithymics. The bass player wore a black muscle shirt and khaki pants. I have to say my eyes kept drifting to him. He was hot. He looked a lot like Aidan Quinn. I once had a crush on Aiden Quinn in the 80's. I was really taken by his performance in this little known movie called, Reckless. Well, since they were from LA I kept wondering if the bass player was related to Quinn. After there performance there was a throng of girls around him so apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought he looked rather nice.

Just a little before Isaac Hayes took the stage a girl I went to college with named Sheryl came to sit absent mindedly beside my chair. I’m sure she had no idea that she was sitting by someone she went to school with. I wasn't quiet sure if it was her or just some one who looked like her. I didn’t want to say “Hi Sheryl!”, and then turns out not to be her. I played it safe. I kept my mouth shut.

Her hair was still dread locked. I remember back when we were in school she was dating this guy who also had dread locks. They were like this very laid back dread locked couple. I imagine that there kids would also have dread locks too.

She wore pink capri pants, a white sleeveless shirt and sandals. Also she wore a flower in her hair. Sheryl was always a bit of a hippy chick. She was the first woman that I ever saw in real life with dread locks.

She was really into Isaac Hayes. She was dancing around, waving her hand in the air, screaming etc. He played a lot of songs that I wasn’t too familiar with but Sheryl seemed to know them all. Isaac ended the show with the only song I was familiar with, the theme to Shaft.

The Commodores took the stage under a hail of sparks. I felt a little afraid remembering the incident that occured with a heavy metal band in a club many years ago. We were outside so I knew the odds of a big fire occuring was nill but still I felt a bit antsy.

I noticed that they turned the sound up way too loud. Why do they do this every year? Why the neccessity to blow your eardrums out with sound for the headlining act? This I feel is a stupid thing to do the sound levels were perfect for all the other acts. Why do they have the need to push it up to 11? It made the show less enjoyable because it was painful to hear. The Commodores was all flash.

One thing I should say that I haven’t noticed before is that the English guy in the group aka the Lionel Ritchie sound alike looks a heck of a lot like my dad. So I guess you can now say that the celebrity my father most resembles is the British guy from the Commodores. Heck, the Bristish guy looks like almost any male member of my family.

Overall, The Commodores were a little to flash for me. The one act I liked the most was Isaac Hayes, despite, only knowing one of his songs.