Before the last song last night at MSG. Will I Am was on the edge of the extended proscinium and he was telling a story about being at the New York nightclub Pasha and listening to a gifted DJ, David Guetta, and wondering about working with him. So Will spoke to David mid-set and told Will to send some of David’s stuff. “But I know you,” Guetta said. They had met at club in Ibiza.
Anyway, Guetta emailed him a beat and Will listened to it once and said “I gotta a feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night…”
I mention this because the third act last night was the self same David Guetta and he cemented his position as the foremost DJ, remixer, whatever in the world today. I also mention this because Will DJd for half an hour in the middle of the Black Eyed Peas and he wasn’t bad but it was like Cheap Trick following the Beatles.
Therin lies the problem with the Black Eyed Peas set last night: it wasn’t bad but it was awful second rate for the biggest band in the world today.
But first the opening acts:
LMFAO
Both Trey and LMFAO play the chicks card heavy but the difference is LMFAO have a sense of humor. Any band that has a girl dressed like a birth control package are laughing themselves sick and any band who can find rhymes for jello shots we never knew existed are gonna break the party. They change the city to New York for “I’m In Miami, Bitch”, thery autotune entire songs and the kick up their legs like the Rockettes. The Z-100 young audience adore them and so do I.
Ludacris
I saw Ludacris opening for Outkasts ten years ago and thought he was a blast but not last night. Overwhelmed by bass that echoed instead of pounded and a sound which felt so out of place in this 21st century setting, Ludacris only got his footing twice, on very old songs and his brand new hit single. Everything else was overeager, like a lapdancer who hasn’t figured out how to use her knees. Plus, cmon guy, this my side of the audience, your side of the audience cheering games are just pathetic right now.
David Guetta
A flawless Djing set which shoulda put everybody on their heels. At one point Guetta was so excited he jumped away from the turnstile and started dancing. The audience were real smarty-pants: they knew how good he was. Unfortunately, they pulled the plug on David before he could spin “Sexy Bitch”. Whatever, if you have any interest in modern dance you hafta check this guy out: he may be the best out there.
Black Eyed Peas
With the exception of Fergie’s inspired “Big Girl’s Don’t Cry” during her solo shot, the Black Eyed Peas didn’t nail it musically till the one two closing shot of “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling” to end the show. Don’t get me wrong, lots of moments: Taboo on a motorcycle at the top of MSG, Ludacris and Fergie singing “Fergielicious”, Will center stage rapping like Twista. During Will’s solo Djing set the turntable is on a hydraulic lift and he spins from up on high, throwing in a sample from Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Justin Bieber’s “One less Lonely Girl” (“thank you,” a girl sitting near me says).
But it is too produced, too busy wowing, to do what it needs to do. How can “Imma Be” fall flat??
How much is enough?
The dance robotic energized Black Eyed Peas showed their human face when Fergie sang but this was so highly polished and sophisticated it came off clinical way too often. For every cool break dancing during “I Like Your Body” there was two quasi ritualistic dance programs in the background. When everything is timed to the last second, where is the room for the true art in live music, the art of improvisation?
Towards the end Will mentions BEP have been together since 1995 when they used to play in lunchrooms at their high schools. “Virgin Records is gone, Tower is gone and we just had the most successful year of our career.”
Deservedly so but maybe next time they can let the music do more of the talking.