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February 04, 2006

is this heathen?

DETROIT - Last night I attended arguably my best concert ever, a gospel revue that apparently Detroit hosts annually on Super Bowl weekend. What a high-energy, positivity-wallowing show. I defy anyone, believer or not, to not leave that room feeling like they could bend steel. Observations:

• Featured acts included Patti Labelle, the Winans, Mary Mary, the Clark Sisters, and my personal favorite, Hezekiah Walker and the LFC. All were great, but Walker's group stood out. Best use of voice as instrument I've ever seen. I got goosebumps.


• Labelle blew her voice out on "Somewhere over the Rainbow," and her choir had to finish it. Lame, but the woman is 61.


• Labelle ripped the NFL for relegating Detroit's considerable local talent to the pre-game stuff and having the Rolling Stones do halftime. Per Labelle, Aretha had to insist on singing the national anthem.


• Mack Strong was in the front row. I hope he stayed out late.


• If you ever want to feel pathetically underdressed, and you know you do, put on your best outfit and go to a gospel show in Detroit.


• At one point, I planned to write "the jesusing was minimal." But then it became maximal. If you're not into holdin' hands and telling strangers that Jesus does [I forget what], this is not your venue. To me, it's part of the cost of my ticket.


• Seeing Ray "unsolved murder" Lewis hop around and jesusfy made me decidedly queasy.


• Since Monique gave me her blessing to lust after cute black chicks (actually, I don't think she said "lust," but I am what I am), allow me to propose to the sparkly, inhumanly lovely LFC choir member in the brown skirt and sweater vest. I don't know you at all, but I know you're utterly without imperfection and I want, nay, need to give you half of everything. My name is John; here's your key. And don't worry about racial, geographical or cultural divides between us. Compared to the spiritual one, they're nothing.


• While I'm grateful for the music it inspires and respectful of their beliefs (funny how their respecting mine inspires that), I'm always uncomfortably aware of the imperialistic element to black Christianity. It's the elephant in the room. I've never fully understood why modern blacks so comfortably embrace the religion forced upon their slave ancestors. Yes, I know religious faith was all the hope slaves had. I understand. That doesn't explain its persistence across the centuries. Retaining something spiritual from something so awful seems...well, I just have complete disconnect. I don't get it. I'd think it would be tinged with negative associations. Viewpoints beyond "Because it's the one true faith!" are invited.

posted by john at 07:12 AM  •  permalink