Live 8

I was about 100 feet from the statue (it was gated to keep muggs off), so I got a good view off the stage. I was there in my DSU jersey/hat combo...but anyway... Ok, It's later...I'll "grade" what I saw.....I did leave early (after Hov rolled, with the majority of crowd as well), so I wasn't there to see Stevie Wonder, however. The Black-Eyed Peas I loved the energy they came out with, they were on fire (can't remember the song). It seemed like they started to tire around "Let's Get It Started". However, they made up for it with "Get Up, Stand Up" with the Marley family. Their message was well received, and their performance was well-liked. Final Grade: B+ Bon Jovi Hey, I'm not too much into Rock, but I know what I like. He did a couple of his earlier hits, and the crowd was singin' with him, word for word. He got the house, and kept them on their feet during his time on stage. Superb, from top to bottom. Final Grade: A Destiny's Child Their performance left me limp. They weren't bad at all, it's just their energy wasn't hyped up, and the lost lost interest halfway through "Survivor". They also did "Say My Name" and "Girls", but it seemed that only the females cared. It didn't help them that their mics kept going in and out either. More of a so-so showing, overall. Final Grade: C Kanye West Kanye did his thing. He came out pumped, rapping "Diamonds". Best believe, the Diamond sign was all over the place. But, he didn't stop there. Afterwhich, he did, "All Falls Down" which was good, not great. But then "Jesus Walks" came on and he went out with a ****. You might hate his demeanor these days, but you had to loved that performance. Final Grade: A- Will Smith Three words: Home-stage advantage. He had it. He used it. First he, came out on a throne, with that sample "The Champ Is Here". First song, "Gettin' Jiggy With It". Hey, people still love hip-pop. Next song was "Switch", for awhile I felt I was in a club, hell he even had a local drum team (Genuwine Magic...I seen them perform...they're actually pretty good.) on stage with him. The surprise on his time was the "Fresh Prince Theme Song". He didn't even have to rap a word. Everybody did for him. EVERYBODY. Last up....the classic, Summertime. The place went crazy....my pick for most surprising (good or bad) show, he definately 'repped Philly well. Final Grade: A Alicia Keys By far the most dissappointing act of the day. First, she did an original song.....hell I can't remember the title. She sung it good, though. But then....SHE LEFT!!!!! The crowd was like "What the fukk???" :sad: :x :x (any other BS emoticon u can think of) I mean, we know it's a free concert, but every act did at least three numbers..... C'mon, it's a show. Final Grade: D- (The fact that she sung the first song good kept the 'F' off the table) Dave Matthews Band Look, I listen to alternative as well as the next man, so I felt the vipe I got from them. It just felt that after the second song (don't know any of their titles), the crowd like "We love y'all but that's enough". Decent show, though. Final Grade: B- Linkin Park Whoo! They are hype! I have NO idea what they sung, but the audience was with them all they way. Shidd, they rapped their last song (can someone who might know what they sung fill in the blanks?), and I was rockin' right with them. Final Grade: A Jay-Z The man of the hour, the one whom the majority of the crowd came to see. He actually did his set with Linkin Park, giving the songs he did a rock-ish feel, but it was still all good. When the first notes hit for "Public Service Announcement", and u heard "Allow me to re-intorduced myself", the crowd was like "my name is HOV!", and the seas of humanity became a seas of diamond-studded humanity. I swear to you not one person there wasn't throwing up the Roc....not even me. And I'm definately not that much of a Jay-Z fan (I'm a Nas guy). I give credit and respect where it's due, though. From "PSA", between song all u could hear was "HOVA, HOVA, HOVA!!' throughout the crowd. He then did "Big Pimpin", then switched to "Dirt Off Your Shoulders"...rocked it. Even with Linkin Park doing back-up, it was great. "Jigga What, Jigga Who" was next, equally good. Finally he did "Encore"..... Man, it that place had a roof, it would've came off! He definately stole the show today. Final Grade: A+ I would've stayed to see Stevie, but my cuz had to get home to his son, and he wasn't due for two more hours. Plus, standin on the metal part and wheel of a shopping cart to get a good view for 5 1/2 hours straight (10:30-4:00), took a horrible toll on my knees & feet. So I left. It took me an hour just to get back to my car, so u can imagine how packed it was. If u didn't/couldn't make it, U missed a HELL of a concert. TV did NOT do this thing justice at all. Besides, this was history in the making....I'm just glad was there to be apart of it. (I'll have the pictures I took of the sea of humanity tomorrow....dayum Wal-Mart) Before I go, I wanna say one more thing: Don't forget why this event was made possible. PLEASE, support the push to eliminate the debt and end the EXTREME poverty that's killing one our lil' African brothers and sisters every three seconds. How? Read on it. Pledge to it. Write about it. But, do SOMETHING! Don't let this festival go out in vain...we ALL have the voice to convince these 8 leaders to wipe this plague out, let's use it.