We Are One... with or without Comcast
I don't subscribe to HBO so I was pleased when they announced they were carrying the We Are One inaugural concert and they were making it available for free to their various outlets.
I wound up watching it online. Yes. They went so far as to make it available (for free) LIVE right on their Web site. I had to watch it online because Comcast wasn't making it available to non-subscribers. It was a crock which led me to chatting online with a Comcast representative who assured me the 19:00 encore would be available to all. I called them out on their non-participation, explaining this gesture of goodwill is something they should be eager to take advantage of while they keep jacking up my rates.
HBO's come out looking mighty darn good. Comcast? No. Not at all.
Anyway, I've gotta say it was a truly remarkable assembly of talent that moved along like clockwork, finishing up right on time two hours after it started. I guess that's to be expected from director Don Mischer and producer George Stevens, Jr., veterans, collectively, of big event productions like Super Bowl halftime shows and Kennedy Center Honors.
Heck, even HBO.com's Webcast was flawless. It wasn't high-def, but it was 100% glitch free.
 The Edge and Bono at the Lincoln Memorial
Photo: HBO.com Naturally, for me the highlight was seeing my band, U2, back on stage and watching Bono retool City of Blinding Lights for the special occasion. He is indeed the master. That, along with Pride, turned out to be a terrific duo of songs.
I was also pleased with the Boss and his opening song, The Rising, complete with choir. It was reminiscent of when he opened the 9/11 concert with My City of Ruins, backed by a (smaller) choir.
The finale was also absolutely top notch, starring a very able 89-year-old Pete Seeger in a knit cap and a big ol' smile. How do you top Seeger and the Boss turning This Land Is Your Land into a sing-a-long for half-a-million? With Beyonce singing America the Beautiful while all the other talent takes the stage for their bows. Wowza! Beyonce knocked it out of the park. Even Bono was seen on camera saying, "Wow."
Of course, Stevie Wonder singing Higher Ground with Shakira and Usher was a hot standout on this bitter cold D.C. afternoon.
Over all, I was impressed with how even the spoken word portions went over well. Jack Black talkin' seriously? I kept waiting for him to say "AWEsome," but he didn't take the bait. He stayed on message.
If anything got on my nerves, it was Garth Brooks. Never been big on the guy. Shout was cool, but the rest of his bit, roughly the equivalent of a half-time show, was a little forced.
Late Update: Comcast did make the 19:00 encore available to all. But only in standard definition. The HD channel was still locked out. Cheap, shady bastards. |
