Concert Reviews
David "Grumpy at The Grove"
June 18, 2004.
My friends and I were looking forward to the concert at The Grove for months! We were all so happy and excited to get away for a "Fun Girls Night Out!" We dressed up for the show and we even laughed when two of us wound up wearing black and pink! We looked like sisters!
We'd watched David on the TV and listened to the radio interviews before hand. We brought our PF photos that were signed earlier by three of the former cast members, hoping to add Danny's to them. We were VERY happy that when we arrived, Danny was right out front posing with fans! I asked for an autograph and he said "Sure" and signed my photo. One of my friends asked for a photo with him and he gladly posed before going inside.
"Look at me now - see where I've been - it ain't very pretty down on the bitter end."
Once in the building, one of my friends saw that the same items they sold in the UK were being sold here too. We were very happy about that and each got a calendar. We were drooling over the lovely photos inside and laughing at ourselves and how he still made us feel like school girls. I also bought a cute black t-shirt with his initials in silver.
We saw many long time fans and all said "Hi" to each other. I was especially happy to meet one fan from the UK. I also saw the fan that won the contest on the Ryan Seacreast show and she was a doll. One of my friends even said "I wanted to hate her - but she's so nice!" LOL!! The crowd was in a very excited and friendly mood.
David introduced Danny. Danny came out and he was SOOO FUNNY! Yes, he used some foul language but he did it in such a good humoured way that you didn't mind. He shared a very cute and funny story about his 3 year old son. Some fans came up with PF items for him to sign and he did it several times before finally saying that was enough. Some more fans came up and he said "What, you didn't hear me?" But he said it while laughing and so everyone laughed too. He still gave them his autograph before leaving.
David came out and had us all clap for Danny and brought him on stage with him. After Danny left David came out and sang "Spooky" which was awesome! The crowd loved it. Then he noticed some fans who were waving these funny signs with Danny and David's heads on sticks. Danny had signed them. David laughed and took them. They asked him if he'd sign them too. He said something like "You want me to stop the show and sign these things just for you?" He said he wouldn't do that. They said "Danny lied." He repeated "Danny lied?" They explained Danny told them David would sign them too. David said "And you believed him? Danny's a DRUG ADDICT!" In a funny way though. Danny came out with a studded leather belt with silver studs around his neck saying "I'm a DRUG ADDICT?!" David joked the belt was from his old leather jacket from his 1991 concert tour. They joked and posed together again and it turned out to be very funny and cute.
"Why don't you just leave?"
However, the mood quickly changed. Between one of the first few numbers, David noticed some fans talking up front and said something like "I really don't think MOST fans give a FLYING F--K about your personal lives!" One of them was obviously mentally challenged and she said she was the one who'd given him stuff. He sarcastically said "OH! YOUR the ONE who's given me STUFF?!" She didn't get it was just happy he was giving her some attention. Not too long after when he was speaking and someone knew what he was going to say next, he got upset. Then he heard a couple of fans near the front talking again. They were not that loud but again he asked them to "Shut the F--K up or leave. No - leave - JUST LEAVE!" He'd have security take us to our seats then only minutes later, motion for us to come up front. Only to then have them come get us again. It went back and forth like that most of the evening.
When David got out his acoustic guitar, I was quite excited. I'd heard he'd done an acoustic Beatles set and a slow version of ITILY from the UK site. At first we heard feedback and he asked us if we knew what that was and we said "Feedback from the guitar." It stopped soon after. Don't know if they didn't have time for a sound check or what?! But he wasn't very happy about that.
When David started to sing The Beatles tune "No Reply," some fans tried to sing and clap along. David told them to stop as it was destroying his concentration! He then did "Blackbird" instead. He did another song and some fans nervously clapped along - not certain if he'd like it or not. I knew from reading the UK site that he wanted it quite during ITILY. So when he started I went "SSSHHHHHH!" and it was DEAD SILENT. You could hear a PIN DROP! He sang about only half of the song.
David with a USA Scarf someone handed to him.
Fans sat down at one point from security telling the David wanted them to sit down and be quite. Only seconds later to hear David say, "I know this is FUCKING California - but come on - it's DEAD here!" He rocked the house with "Common Thief" and while he's not all that great on the acoustic guitar, he proved that he could really play a REALLY MEAN electric guitar. Again, one of the best I've seen him musically and vocally! However, it was sort of awkward when he accidentally jumped on a part of the equipment at the end and it buzzed. It's the part the guitar plugs into. He went over to plug it back in and it stopped buzzing. He then went up to it and said "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Then came over and said "Oh, I'm sorry - where was I?" That part really was pretty funny! Sorta strange - yet still kinda cute and funny - which I know he was trying to be.
"I know this is CALIFORNIA - but make some F***IN' noise!"
There was a nice lady in the 2nd row with her young 7 year daughter in the audience. She brought along a California licence plate that said "ITINKILOVU." David saw it and asked to see it. A fan in the 1st row gave it to him and stayed standing to hand it back when he was ready to do so. He read the licence plate and kinda made fun of it. Then he asked the fan standing why was she there. She said to hand it back and he said something snippy to her. To her credit, she said something snippy back! YEAH FAN! Can't remember the exact conversation now. One time, after David made snarly comment to a fan using profanity, he said "Hey, you'd laugh if it was Danny saying that!"
David singing a very emotional version of "CRY."
After doing the typical ITILY for the final song and shaking hands with fans, David came back for an encore. He talked about the late, great Ray Charles in a very sincere and moving way. He then heard someone in the audience laugh. I didn't hear it but asked them not to laugh about this as it was serious to him, etc. Then he did sing a wonderful and moving version of "CRY" with some Ray-like scatting and singing "Ray we miss you" and "Ray we love you" at the end. It was the BEST version of this song I've ever heard and I've always loved him singing this song anyway.
To his credit, he did FINALLY do some different tunes. Spooky, Common Thief, Beatles songs. His actual performances were the most incredible I've ever seen. Although I have to admit that many, including myself were shocked by some of David's profanity, even after knowing fans brought their children to see the show. It wasn't just the curse words themselves but the hurtful way he used them towards some of the fans. Many fans commented they'd never go see him again. True that some may have asked for autographs but sometimes at other concerts he's done, he's signed things for fans. Therefore, they never know from one show to the next how he'll behave. Even during this show, his mood seems to swing from on extreme to the other. He'd also ask us to be quite then complain we were dead. Many of even the long time fans seemed bewildered at what he wanted and his behaviour that evening. The head of security told me and some other fans after the show that he didn't know what David wanted. He'd get the signal to push us back only for him to wave us up front. He said he finally told his team to just go home near the end - something he'd never done before! I've since heard David plans on bringing his own security team to concerts. Let's hope that helps in the future so that David can just perform and not worry so much about the audience. It would make for a MUCH better show!
Cat
All Photos taken by Cat at "The Grove" in Anaheim
