The Time Jon and I Saw Feist at Radio City and It Wasn't That Great

On Saturday, May 5, Jon and I saw Feist at Radio City. We had gotten our tickets early, and Jon made sure we were just a few rows from the stage. As a joke though, we looked on stubhub to see what tickets were going for, and to our chagrin, they were MUCH cheaper. We felt a bit gypped. The concert was supposedly sold out! What's interesting is that when she was at BAM, tickets a few days before the concert were going for like $200 a piece, so this was just mystifying. Maybe a majority of the audience felt they were better off going to a Cinco de Mayo party instead of a Feist concert to get laid/find a husband?

The seats around us were pretty empty for awhile. The whole place was pretty much empty for Timber Timbre. (And though we saw some of their videos and were a little bit familiar with their songs, it wasn't a very interesting set.) 

In the beginning of the show, the ushers were being pretty strict about the seating. And Feist seemed really upset about the pit and orchestra seats being empty, singing about it in like three songs. So to make us feel even shittier about buying the expensive tickets, she invited everyone to move up closer. And the ushers/security went a little nuts getting everyone out of the aisles. It wasn't much fun staring at people's asses and having them kick me as they scrambled for better seats for like half a song every time this happened.

And once everyone settled down the first time, we had this fifteen-year-old girl (maybe a long-haired boy?) to deal with. She was pumping her fists at the Feist songs and standing up while the whole orchestra was sitting down. (It's a freaking Feist concert, not a fist-pumping kind of concert!) I was so baffled.

The woman in front of us talked to the usher (who looked like a really old version of Magnitude) about it, and the usher asked the girl to sit down. I'm not sure the woman did this entirely because she and her boyfriend were also annoyed, or because she was pissed off that Jon and I were complaining kind of loudly about it during the applause or whatever. (The woman came back, and said, "You're welcome." Um, thanks--but please hold the attitude. Jeez.)

But then Feist went out into the audience and grabbed a bunch of people onto the stage with her, and people were up and out of their seats so they could see what's happening. 

You guys, it's not because the music was so good that they had to get up and out of their seats--it's because people wanted to see the performer that they were paying for. These stunts kind of pissed me off. Especially when the people who were dancing on the stage with her were just filming her sing with their iPhones. What?!

Maybe I'm a little jealous of that, but still, when the dancing was done, they just stood on the stage, blocking my view of Feist. So, more unnecessary asses to view, and no Feist.

In addition to all the asses, other distractions include a water bottle that I bought. The concession stand guy said it was their policy not to give a cap. But that is crap. I've gotten bottle caps from Radio City water bottle purchases before. I mean, really, am I supposed to put my bottle on the floor and hope no one kicks it over? 

Also, she had an enormous band and three really weird backup singers. The backup singers were just too weird. The camera that streamed video to the background kept panning to them and the crotch of the drummer, who looked a lot like this guy on Party Down. (Speaking of doppelgangers, her guitar guy looked like George Saunders.)

I was way too distracted by everything else that was going on to pay attention to the music, but all in all, I think her concert at MacCarren Park Pool was better. It had the democracy of a general admission venue and the informality that Feist seemed to crave.

Toward the end of the show Feist pointed out the exit signs, which are the only things that she can actually see from the stage, and suggested that after awhile you end up wondering which one you'd take given all those options. Or maybe she said something different. I think everyone was just waiting to rush the stage again if she invited them to.

In any case, while I can see that some people had a great evening, I think that Jon and I had a better time getting shakes and burgers after. Feist's voice is beautiful live, but when you can barely see her, you might as well stay home and do the dishes while listening to her songs.