With the ALCS game quickly and disturbingly out of hand (note to Terry Francona: He's got nothing tonight. Get him out of there!) I decided to watch part of last night's broadcast of the documentary and concert from the final ACT show in D.C. It's over five and a half hours long. It's going to take me a while to get through it.
I decided to watch the end knowing there would be a crazy mass finale. I wasn't disappointed. Bruce and most of the others took a mediocre stab at "Peace, Love & Understanding," a randomness favorite (recall the shirt of a couple weeks ago). Bruce then called everyone out. I mean everyone. The E Streeters, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, James Taylor, Dave Mathews Band, Dixie Chicks, Bonnie Raitt, Babyface Reid, Maroon 5, John Mellancamp. It was a bizarre collective. Michael then took to the microphone while the bloated band began to swell.
I immediately knew what they were up to. It was "People Have the Power." There's never been a better choice for such an occasion but I reflexively grimaced. You simply can't cover a Patti song, especially the tongue twisting brilliance of PHtP.
Erm. I was wrong. By the time they started chanting the chorus over and over I found myself off of the sofa and like three inches from the television screaming. It was gloriously insane. Breathtaking, even. It's one thing to cover a song, it's something totally different to feel it. It was like those artists were pleading for their lives and, in many ways, they are. We all should be.
people have the powerPosted by mikewolf at October 12, 2004 10:17 PM
the power to dream, to rule
to wrestle the earth from fools
it's decreed the people rule
it's decreed the people rulelisten
i believe everything we dream
can come to pass through our union
we can turn the world around
we can turn the earth's revolution
we have the power
people have the power ...
They're back in it. 5 runs in the seventh, and it ain't over yet.
Posted by: Frankenstein on October 12, 2004 10:38 PMYou didn't really think I turned it off for good, did you? Sheesh.
Posted by: mrw on October 12, 2004 10:41 PMThe choice of "Because the Night" for Stipe to duet w/ Bruce also seemed a major nod to Patti Smith. The chemistry between them last night wasn't working much for me; I preferred Mike Mills singing the whoa-oh-oh-whoa's on "Born to Run" was my fave -- he seemed properly worshipful in a way Stipe would never be. 8^)
I should have been prepared for it, but Bruce's rap during "Mary's Place" was pretty shocking. After all these years of veiled political statements, he danced naked last night: "I want to say to all the swing voters, What the hell are you waiting for? Halliburton?"
Posted by: VC on October 12, 2004 11:49 PMi was pretty blown away by the finale too. yowza.
bruce seems...old.
Posted by: Matt on October 13, 2004 01:45 AM