Hearne on the Street: Surviving Blondie One Way or the Other
About last night’s Blondie concert at the Crossroads…
I’ve taken some pretty bad photos at times, but the one here of Debbie Harry is classic – it doesn’t get any worse. And while I was well positioned to snag a far better one, I didn’t want to risk a tasing by the security dude in the lower part of the pic. Funny how I didn’t even notice him until after I committed my concert crime.
Okay, now let’s get the catty part of this deal out of the way.
For anyone who has ever seen an old Blondie video or has a recollection of how Harry used to look, that ship has sailed. Her dress was kinda hip but frumpy, and Harry was noticeably portly. Hey, but she still had the sunglasses.
KC Confidential entertainment operative Brian McTavish was more charitable: ”She actually looks better than she has,” the big galoot guffawed “I’ve seen her look far worse.”
My overall take on Blondie’s muzak: good to adequate, but dated – especially on some of the bigger hits.
The crowd loved the band though. Tons of ’80s survivors, including some fiesty ones up front.
“He went behind me and sucker punched me in the head,” railed one angry gent to a police officer.
“I don’t know, he hit me in the face,” the accused told a sympathetic eyewitness.
Speaking of blonds, toward the show’s end an agitated girl grabbed me as she strode toward the exit and asked in disbelief, “Is she doing a fucking Celine Dion song? Yeah – I gotta go now. That makes me so mad.”
The flip side of that disappointment came in the form of Habanero’s waitress Rachelle Wade.
“I texted my father earlier tonight that I survived cancer surgery for this concert,” she gushed. “I’m pretty sure I survived the surgery for this fucking moment.”
Now that’s rapture…
August 19th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Don’t want to get in the way of a good story and I guess it might depend on the band but I’ve never been hassled about taking pictures at The Crossroads. Seems to just be paranoia on your part, Hearne.
August 19th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I thought it was a fun show. Debbie Harry looks pretty good for 64 years old and she sounded great!
August 19th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Shouldn’t the cut off age for old rockers still touring be 60? Shouldn’t there be a law that says you either have to go unplugged or sit on a stool and keep your dignity intact?
Are they on tour for anything other than paycheck? Not to knock Blondie, I have friends who went and had fun. There’s just something sad about these bands who continue to get up on stage into their 60s and try to summon the good ol’ days.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I stood right behind you, Hearne and we saw two very different shows. To take a bad picture of Debbie Harry – whose career has spanned over 30 years, whereas yours…- is spiteful. Debbie’s dress, by the way, was from Prada, and cost about $1,800. The fact she dared to wear something so sheer the lights showed off her legs up to her snatch – at age 55! – speaks a lot of the balls this survivor of the music biz has. The band was really tight and Harry’s singing was spot-on – not a single missed cue! The crowd in the “VIP” section were total trash on meth – couldnt you tell? Last night’s show rocked and Blondie’s music has spanned generations. The people I was surrounded with were enjoying the set — too bad you don’t have the same ear for quality.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I get your point, Dexter but I’m still not sure why rockers need to be held to a different standard than country, blues, jazz or pop artists that continue to perform well past the age of 60. As long as they can still pull it off without looking foolish (I guess this part is subjective)and their fans enjoy it, then why not? Springsteen turns 60 next month, I believe and he stills brings it almost as strong as he ever did and as a fan, I would hate for some arbitrary number to keep him from going out on the road and entertaining his fans.
August 19th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Hearne’s pic taking sin was not about taking pics, it was because he used a flash. that is a big no-no.
I do agree with his critique. A horrible frikkin’ pic.
This guy here seems to have just woken up after a decades long sleep.
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Dexter Morgan Says:
August 19th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Are they on tour for anything other than paycheck? Not to knock Blondie, I have friends who went and had fun. There’s just something sad about these bands who continue to get up on stage into their 60s and try to summon the good ol’ days.
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I’ll clue you in.
Every performer that’s out on the road is on the road to make money. This is the 21st century after all. Unless you’re a huge act on Billboard’s Top 100, it’s about the only way you can make money with your musical talent.
It’s pretty sad that you have people questioning your motives when you are just trying to survive in this economy. I guess that’s why some are on stage playing music, while others pay to watch.
August 19th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
I appreciate the lesson in traveling band economics. Of course they are on the road to make money, especially the ones approaching their 70s who know they only have a couple of years left to cash in. My point is the ones doing it past a certain age not only look silly as they try to conjure up one more summer tour for their now older and rapidly aging fans, they don’t adjust or evolve to compensate for their old age, their lost vocal ability or playing ability, and above all else the fact that they look old up on stage while trying to act young.
Again, I’m not trying to knock Blondie for making a buck while they still can. That’s good business sense on their part. I just have more respect for performers who age gracefully. It’s sad sometimes seeing a fat, gray haired, sweaty old man/woman laboring around with a weak voice that forces the band to play everything two keys lower because their range is gone…when they don’t have to.
It’s probably a lot like Brett Favre, too hard to walk away, especially if there’s money on the table and you can still sort of halfway get the job done almost as good as you used to.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
-HOLDING UP SIGN-
“PLEASE DONT FEED THE TROLLS”
this doucheter moron, NEVER says a good thing about ANYTHING or anybody.
He is some kid who has never done a thing to his own name, and never attends a show. He only spouts his negative spiteful BS to get a reaction, he even loves to read comments this one dogging him, pretty wierd guy.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Not to quarrel with on about me being paranoid or anything, but I was right by the stage and the security dude at the bottom on my pic warned me not to do it again. I did use flash, but she kept the lights pretty low on her – your guess is as good as mine as to why – especially when she came down by the fans when I shot that lone pic.
August 19th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
keep up the good work hearne, luv ya, luv the site, and just because I am not paranoid, does not mean they are not out to get me; )
August 19th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Not everyone has the confidence, dignity and discipline to walk away and stay away from the celebrity stage the way Johnny Carson did. While a lot of aging rockers work because they need the dough most have money in the bank and do it because they love the roar of the crowd and the power and importance it gives them for 90 minutes +/- a night when they are on stage. It’s a sad life when the only people that can make you feel good about yourself are strangers who’ve paid for the opportunity to do so.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
oh BS rick, go fuck a phone.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
should have said;
Oh BS smartass(man)(whatever)
GO…ah you know.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
smartman I think you get what I’m saying. Pellboy, I agree, Springsteen is probably one of the few who has aged on stage gracefully. There aren’t many who have. Will the Stones go out on the road again? Jagger and Richards are 66, Watts is 68. Hopefully not. It could only get worse.
August 20th, 2009 at 8:58 am
This is sort of related. James Taylor? To old to tour or because of his mellow music he’s ok? Heard Loggins and Messina are getting back together, any thoughts? Last week, on a Friday which has low number of viewers, Neil Diamond pulled in a pretty good TV rating. Isn’t Vegas and Branson where people go that no longer want to or are to old to tour? I would say its all based on what the market will bear. I know I was sad to have missed the Earth Wind and Fire concert and they aren’t spring chickens.
August 20th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
There you go again Rick and I’ll jump on this before jojo beats me. Why you gotta be racist? Oh you know what I mean. Earth Wind and Fire are “black” and you had to mention “spring chickens”. Why the stereotype of black people and chicken all the time?
August 20th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Ha ha HILARIOUS. GOOD STUFF. We ought to have a JOJO post contest to see who does their best writing impression of him. Too funny.