HOLY SHIT MIA IN CNTRAL PARK HELL YEAH

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MIA RULEZ
THERE WAS A HELICOPTR ON STAGE
MR VEGAS RULEZ
HE SANG UNDER ME SLENG TENG
DIPLO RULEZ
HE SPUN WINDOWLICKER

REKHA SUX
SHE CANT DJ FOR SHIT

― HADAID, Monday, 8 August 2005 03:29 (twenty years ago)

I forgot about this... oh well.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Monday, 8 August 2005 03:36 (twenty years ago)

I forgot about this... good.

― Rob Uptight. (Rob Uptight.), Monday, 8 August 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

hmm

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 8 August 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

Hate to say it again, but that's not his real name, is it? Also, WTF kind of review is that. Am I somehow missing the point or is it actually just self indulgent BS and not about music at all?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 8 August 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

what's his real name? Riffvester?

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 8 August 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)

I've really loved MIA live anyway. Exciting shows.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 8 August 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

Ah, I see, he didn't actually go to the show but criticizes her anyway for lacking "stage presence."

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 00:12 (twenty years ago)

But she does, Spencer. At least she did when I saw her in March. I think people like projecting "awesomeness!" onto her.

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 00:25 (twenty years ago)

General opinion of Thom, Nath and I at the Brussels club show last month -- good...but by *no* means great. We honestly thought Diplo carried her.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 00:37 (twenty years ago)

spencer you think she's a good dancer too!

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 00:39 (twenty years ago)

psst! chiding MIA for lack of stage presence is now officially a indy-dork cliche, which Sylvester is mining for satirical purposes, wow.

― Outsider Enter Port City (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 01:20 (twenty years ago)

http://hitparade.ch/cdimg/sylvester-you_make_me_feel_(mighty_real)_s.jpg

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 01:23 (twenty years ago)

I thought the indie-dork cliche was pretending like she is the greatest thing since sliced bread...

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 01:37 (twenty years ago)

http://images-jp.amazon.com/images/P/B000766O9S.09.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― amon (eman), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 02:10 (twenty years ago)

sylvester's thing was really funny, i'd much rather read that than a straight-up review by somebody who went to the show

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 02:38 (twenty years ago)

I was going to ask if he was just trying to wind Spencer up, but it did read as a bit parodic

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 03:42 (twenty years ago)

I saw her three times in the last few months. Each show was very exciting mainly because her music is really amazing, especially when played loud. I also really like her style (and yes including her dancing). My friends invariably agreed that they were good shows (quite different types of people actually). I have no idea whether it had anything to do with stage "presence" (a logocentric and rockist concept at best) and I could certainly care less what hand-wringing corny indie hater types were thinking about while I was having fun.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 04:52 (twenty years ago)

I mean, what exactly is "stage presence"? Would it help if she were taller? Displaced more water? Had a dick? What?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 04:55 (twenty years ago)

Did you guys miss the part where she bit off the head of a bat and then set her strat on fire???

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 04:58 (twenty years ago)

Spencer, Nick apologized to me the other week. Not the same as talking to you, but thought you should know.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:01 (twenty years ago)

I goot say, I'd be pretty impressed if they adopted the "diplo should ride in on an animatronic dinosaur" thing.

― haitch (haitch), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:02 (twenty years ago)

gotta say, even!

― haitch (haitch), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:02 (twenty years ago)

(xpost) Although I don't really understand the "M.I.A. has no stage presence" meme, either. When I saw her on the LCD tour, she danced around a lot, looked goofy and charming, talked to the audience, etc. So I'm not sure what the beef is.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:02 (twenty years ago)

no dick, apparently

― Dr. Glen Y. Abreu (dr g), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:04 (twenty years ago)

OTM.

Also re: Nick. Like I've said before, I've really enjoyed a number of his pieces (although they're rarely about the music itself, but rather musings on meta music loving). Jaymc, did he really address my little pet peeve?? If so, that would be nice (if completely unnecessary).

I've also been enjoying ILM much more now that I've embraced being wound up!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:11 (twenty years ago)

they can't all be ronnie james
http://www.evilsyde.org/dio/images/6.jpg

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:14 (twenty years ago)

To be fair, Spencer, I brought it up.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 05:15 (twenty years ago)

My teenage kid and her friends saw her a few weeks ago and were completely enthusiastic about the performance -- M.I.A., Diplo, the whole shebang.

― Vornado, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:21 (twenty years ago)

I mean, what exactly is "stage presence"? Would it help if she were taller? Displaced more water? Had a dick? What?

Stage presence: compelling and charismatic showmanship (oops, fucked up right off the bat -- fine, I do want her to be a man! You got me, Spencer!)

I went to see her totally open minded. I'd never heard her songs before yet had heard about her, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about. And I got a goofy costumed, crappy dancing "performer" with a bad voice and beats I honestly didn't find that interesting. Then to top that off, she had the charm of a wet sock. I was actually more compelled by Diplo (who I don't like either) and her background singer/dancer (who is frankly awesome and it's a pity that she'll probably toil in obscurity).

― Candicissima (candicissima), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

She was completely off the beat at the beginning of "Bucky Done Gun" on The Kimmel Show; I think she was half a measure off and didn't realize it until the drum fill before the Rocky sample. Didn't faze her at all.

I kind of don't understand how a performer whose music you don't like is supposed to make up for it with an amazing stage show? Britney's shows are ginormous spectacles of excess that fall incredibly flat when not put towards one of her songs that I like; if I really wanted a concert to focus on the show more than the music I would be posting to I Love Cirque du Soleil.

(MIA I KISS YOU)

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/MIACentralPark.jpg

is that a dirndl

― fe zaffe (fezaffe), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:39 (twenty years ago)

So did anyone actually go to this (Summerstage)? What was the crowd like? A lot of people there?

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

(MIA I KISS YOU FOR REALZ OMG)

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

the article is still funny whether you care about a concept as ephemeral & subjective as "stage presence" or not!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

i don't think it's meant as a serious critique but rather as a humourous goof on the kinds of shit music fans like to talk about!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

I went and there were thousands of people with no hope of getting in. It got a bit hippyish in the trees with nothing to see. I stood on a rock a caught the bass in my face.

― Outsider Enter Port City (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

that's a funny voice piece. but hey who needs funny, funny is code for having a dick and displacing water and shit. reviews need to be more awkward and squarky and politically naive.

― N_RQ, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

Barrington Levy, Central Park, August 14th, 3pm...

... a show to behold.

― Rob Uptight. (Rob Uptight.), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

her background singer/dancer (who is frankly awesome

Yeah, she was great. Actually did the job of getting the crowd going at the Brussels date.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

according to my "record industry sources" (heh) there were approx. 5k people who couldn't get in, tho summerstage has a 5k capacity (ie. 10k showed up).

also, according to my "record industry sources" she can't fucking sing.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:17 (twenty years ago)

she can't fucking sing

As if that ever mattered at all!

― justsaying, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Well, I'd say it matters at least a little bit. It does strike me as one of the weaknesses of Arular - that her voice is a bit thin & reedy.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

And you know if she sounds like that on a studio recording, it's only going to be that much worse live.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

and what's with this Dylan? Hey! He can't sing! Hey!

― Outsider Enter Port City (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

She's a rapper!

John Lydon can't sing. Pharrell can't sing. Lou Reed can't sing. Only pedants care about whether you can sing or not.

― justsaying, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:32 (twenty years ago)

Dylan was once a pretty great singer, and even today, at least on his studio recordings, he is pretty good.

Sorry if caring about singing makes me a pedant!

xpost

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

There's people who "can't sing" but who can still sing, if you catch my meaning. On the other hand, there are people who "can sing", who can't sing. Then there are people who "can't sing" who can't sing. I'd say MIA risks falling into that last category.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:34 (twenty years ago)

http://www.cityinfonetz.de/tagblatt/archiv/2005/04/11/kinski-fitzcarraldo.jpg
I MUST HAVE MY OPERA HOUSE

― Outsider Enter Port City (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:36 (twenty years ago)

And then there are people who talk gibberish on internet message boards.

― justsaying, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 18 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Her records are weak too. She lacks "record presence" or "talent."

― Dr. Glen Y. Abreu (dr g), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

Where is this thread going exactly?

― Reggie, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

Haterville.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

Thread needs more screen presence.

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

Spencer, I was kidding. Stating the obvious. Should have added a smiley.

― nathalie sans denouement (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

Five fucking thirty? Man did I make the right decision.

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

xpost: that was very hard to discern!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

does anyone know where theres Mia strippin pics? please post or send my way, i love this armenian princes

― mike thomlin (Rob Uptight.), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

I just want to hear the followup already. I hate to admit that I'm already really tired of most of Arular, and never want to hear it again.. (and it's not as if I overplayed it mor anything. I'm more sick of Diplo than I am M.I.A. actually.)

As for the live show from early May, well, she and her co-MC-dancer certainly had presence. It wasn't a presence that especially grabbed me though... I kinda felt like I was at a less enthusiastic Technotronic gig or something (haha.. M.I.A. IS NO YA KID K!) -- with musical differences obviously. Diplo looked reaaally bored back there. The video footage also slightly bothered me, but for completely different reasons already covered in past M.I.A. threads -- politically speaking. The best part of the whole show was the Blair/Bush EBN style cut up video intro.. that's not really a compliment, over all.

In any case, I'm very curious to hear the next M.I.A album. If it's Arular II, I'm going to have to jump off.

Sylvester's article is great.

M.I.A. needs more cowbell.

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

I'm not sick of Diplo by any stretch (although there's too much novelty stuff on the Favela Strikes Back mix), I've always been into his sets.

I haven't listened to the album in about a month because I listened to it too much. It's still probably the best record of the year and despite the hype dying down for me, I still recall the overwhelming excitement of hearing it for the first time. I can't wait to get into it all over again.

If the next album is Arular 2 then I'll be jumping right back on.

Sylvester's article is interesting.

Donut needs more cowbell.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Donut needs more cowbell.

I can't get enough cowbell.

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

I still have only heard the actual album all the way through once, as opposed to individual tracks and stretches, and I admit I'm kinda not feeling the itch to do a full relisten -- I sympathize with donut on the burnout point.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:26 (twenty years ago)

Go Team Meh!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:28 (twenty years ago)

To reverse the general sense of Mehness, I still think "Galang" was perhaps the best single of last year, and I still listen to it a lot. I think she'd be wise to get some guest vocalists on her next album though, like Missy does (though Missy has much deeper reserves of vocal talent than MIA does).

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

am i the only one who could care less if MIA "can't sing". it sounds like she raps or chants on every song and "singing" doesn't come into play except for the chorus on Sunshowers. Arular is a fun album to listen to. i don't give a fuck if she's singing about wicker baskets or terrorism, it's a fun album. it you don't like it, fair play, but if you just don't like the hype, then maybe you need to spend less time prowling internet message boards and more time enjoying life.

i've seen her twice and although she did the same set both times and her voice projection/level in the mix was too low, i had a great time both nights.

― biz, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:43 (twenty years ago)

well, without question, she needs to be a guest singer on an upcoming Basement Jaxx single.

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:50 (twenty years ago)

Exactly. I've long said that Arular in sound and approach is very similar to Basement Jaxx.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:54 (twenty years ago)

Well, with about 1/10th the palette, though (IMHO)

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:59 (twenty years ago)

Not that this fraction of a palette wasn't good enough.. but I find myself going back to Jaxx moreso than Arular at this point. We'll see. Time is a funny thing.

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:59 (twenty years ago)

As much as I loved Kish Kash, I actually felt like they could have held back a bit on the kitchen sink...

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

Clearly the only answer at this point:

* Jaxx/MIA full collaboration album

* donut and Spencer direct the videos

* world tour starting on Mars

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:09 (twenty years ago)

rapping and chanting is singing. hell even talking can be "sing-songy," mahhhn.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

well, singing is singing and rapping is rapping. i think we're splitting hairs here but i'll stand my ground.

― biz, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

rapping still has to be in key.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

This thread is what people on the internet make fun of when they make fun of people on the internet talking about M.I.A.

So, anyone hear this Annie character?

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

she sucks too.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

God, hstencil, you think you're chocolate, but you're chewing gum.

― Rob Uptight. (Rob Uptight.), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:01 (twenty years ago)

i just call it all "vocalizin' and socializin'" personally.

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

i don't even know what that means, but i don't give a shit either.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

I am the original rapper and I think it's time to get off this crapper.

― Outsider Enter Port City (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

http://www.themodernword.com/joyce/music/reed.gif

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Ned, you will be the Mclaren-esque impresario.

This thread is what people on the internet make fun of when they make fun of people on the internet talking about M.I.A.

Where are these straw-people laughing at other straw-people?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:25 (twenty years ago)

Scarecrows come to life!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:28 (twenty years ago)

New Basement Jaxx stage costumes or people talking about MIA on the internet???
http://www.pugetsoundrevels.org/images/other/cel_straw.jpg

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

... and those that laugh at them.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:30 (twenty years ago)

I'm imagining them getting down to "Plug It In" and "URAQT" and I am all smiles.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:30 (twenty years ago)

spencer don't mock the "ethnics."

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

Straw-man identity politics!!!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

you're so not invited to the next potlatch.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

http://www.philipcoppens.com/twm_howie.jpg
"Wot's all this, then?"

― Outsider Enter Port City (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

What's that on Lou's cheek and what does he plan to do with it?

― M. V. (M.V.), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

you're so not invited to the next potlatch.

What about the next straw-man pogrom???

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 20:01 (twenty years ago)

Way upthread, someone asked about Mr. Vegas. He was unobjectionable. His set was short and very pumped up. His DJ kept screaming. (That was objectionable.) He ran through his hits, had the audience sing some classic dancehall tunes, showed off his bare chest, ran from one side of the stage to the other. But basically he was an obstacle in the way of M.I.A.'s set, and was more or less treated as such.

― Sang Freud (jeff_s), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 22:10 (twenty years ago)

i went to da show
i started da thread cuz i was so psychhed even 5 hours after da show when i got hoem

it ruled so hard
everything sounded great and loud as hell

there wer like a billion peopel there
we snuk in cuz there wouldve been no way to get in othrwise

the only person that was stinkin it up was dj rekha..
she couldnt beatmatch for shit, picked pretty lame trax, kept switching them after like 30 seconds, and was basically a total loser
vegas and his dj ruled 100 per cent!!
(dear dumass: the dj was yelling cause he was calling out the dance moves u idiot! vegas did a pretty sweet 'drivin de car')
they pulled out all the old hits and got da audience to sing the chorusess
before 'under mi sleng teng' he told a sweetass story about getting questiond in us customs about grass:
"mr vegas, you got any grass?"
"it's cool man, i smoked before i got on da plane.. it's way in my brain!!"
diplo came on and told us not to get too pumped cuz he waz gonna play for a longass time and even i got a littel scared...
but it didnt matter cause his set totally ruled!!
he was tight as hell and everybody up front was grindin their shit all over da place
he asked everyone if they was into the favela and they said hell yeah!
everyone pretty much lost their shit when mia and her dancers came onstage
their shorts were tight as hell! and short!@
she played pretty much everything on da album and uraqt too
she asked her dj to started a couple trax over again cuz she missed the entrance.. big deal losers!
there wer these awwsoem larry clark type kids that didnt stop moving the whoel time
one of them fainted and she came back in like a minute and started dancing again ..it was hilarions
mia said hi to one of them in da middle of the show
some dude with a weirdass snoopy or what tatoo jumped on stage and was squirming around
mia was crackin up and dancing with him until secuirity busted his ass
i saw him wandering around after looking for his shit and friends cuz he was like totally naked hahaw!

everyone dropped some regional shit
mia did a b-club version of uraqt.. that surprized me
vegas did an awesome reggaeton 'o johnny' that fucken ruled
i was a littel sad houston didnt get represnt cause sum swisha house styles wouldve been perfect for the hotass weather but whateva
mr vegas dj dropped the dancehall mix of 'never scared'

what a totally sweetass show
im glad you complaining losrs stayd home cause it probably wouldnt have been as much fun

― guasha, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

I like your review more than the Voice piece.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

If you jumped off a bridge while reading the Voice piece, would all your friends?

Wait, that came out wrong.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 23:58 (twenty years ago)

I don't get it!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 23:59 (twenty years ago)

Spencer, he's basically saying he'd never you.

― donut ferry (donut), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 00:12 (twenty years ago)

Oh! ... ... ?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 00:14 (twenty years ago)

da, comrade.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 00:19 (twenty years ago)

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