Valuable quotes

"No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow." ~~



"The minute you start talking about what you're going to do if you lose, you've already lost." ~~



Cree Prophecy - "When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money." ~~


Monday, August 01, 2011

Buffy Sainte-Marie - Philly World Café LIVE

May 16th, 2011 - World Cafe LIVE, Philadelphia PA

My heartfelt apologies to this great lady for doing my review of her wonderful concert and then forgetting it in draft, where it has been sitting for two and a half months. How I never noticed it wasn't a part of my blog only goes to show how my head is in other places these days and maybe one day soon I will share that too. But this is neither the time nor the place for less than celebratory things.

We got to see Buffy the evening of May 16th, 2011. When I think back of all the years I have followed her and yet never got a chance to see her, how sweet it was that this just sort of fell into our laps. Maybe on a trip to visit family in Canada, but Philadelphia? I happened to overhear a conversation between two others and checked to see what they were talking about - Buffy was coming to Philly. Got tickets!!

I have been a fan of Buffy's for as long as I can remember. I worried a little going to see her now, whether I should have seen her in her prime. Well, let me tell you something right up front - Buffy doesn't know she's NOT in her prime! She may be 70 years old but this beautiful woman hasn't missed a beat! She entered the stage in snug jeans, bare midriff & fit body. Her voice clear and as sweet as always and her stage presence could put a lot of twenty year old entertainers to shame. A ball of energy who didn't lag in the almost three hours she was on.

Buffy's lyrics and melodies have not lost any their magic and the magic washed over the stage and the audience alike. If anyone has to ask…oh yes! Buffy still knows how to rock!

It never ceases to amaze me how she effortlessly moved across musical genres too. It was all showcased on that night; rock, country, rockabilly, folk, and powwow infused music, long a favorite of mine, as well as the more mainstream, beautiful, classic ballads "Until It's Time For You To Go" and the Oscar-winning "Up Where We Belong." Thus, the audience was given a wonderful snapshot of the huge amount of music this incredibly creative woman has given to us over the course of her career.

Older songs like Little Wheel Spin and Spin and Cod'ine were reinvented for the show to great effect. But Buffy also knew when to pull back and just allow the original power of a classic like Universal Soldier to shine: the mark of true showmanship - as well as being indicative of her instincts as a great lyricist. Buffy knows that there is power in simplicity; conveying complex ideas in the most direct, uncluttered way possible.

And Buffy's band - not enough can be said about them either. They were absolutely brilliant and matched her energy and intensity throughout the evening. They lived the music and loved the music and it was so very obvious. The powerful drumbeats drove the music forward - I could have sworn I was at a powwow listening to a heartbeat drum; it made me want to dance as I always did when in attendance. From my perspective, at least, I'd say the audience just couldn't get enough of those Native American inspired songs!


Favorite moment: When Buffy sang my favorite song, Starwalker and when her drummer got up and did a Fancy Dance while Buffy and the other band members cheering him on.

Setlist for the evening: Piney Wood Hills, No No Keshagesh, Cho Cho Fire, Cripple Creek, I'm Gonna Be A Country Girl Again, Blue Sunday, Little Wheel Spin and Spin, Universal Soldier, Until It's Time For You To Go, Up Where We Belong, Soldier Blue, Cod'ine, Darling Don't Cry, Priests of the Golden Bull, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Starwalker, He's An Indian Cowboy in the Rodeo


I'm not sure when she will grace us with her presence again here in Philly, but one thing's for sure - I'll be the first in line at the ticket booth.

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