My Older Sister Annie: "Wait Ron, I think you sent me this by mistake. Did you mean to put me on this email list??"
Ron: "Yeah, I thought it would be kind of funny?"
Annie: "Is everything okay? Awwww, we all love you!"
My former InterVarsity Staffworker Kathy: "Ron, are you feeling all right?"
Ron: "Yup!"
Kathy: "OK. Thank God. I started reading the e-mail and wondered if someone was hacking into your e-mail account or you were OD-ing on pain meds or something."
Mission
(Text Msg String before Vegas)
Ron: "I don't know yet how we'll get tickets but we will go, we need to do a review"
Vilas: "Fo sho you right!!!"
Ron: "A lot of peeps who will never see it need us to help them experience Celine"
Vilas: "You speak the truth"
CasualtyTyler "Action" Jackson had to cancel at the last second due to work. Whether the privatization of companies by PE firms like Carlyle is healthy for financial markets is up for debate. Whether these PE shops can interfere with important "life" moments is indisputable. We missed you bro! Tyler has been a loyal soldier in a lot of my Vegas escapades, including the infamous 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend where we felt lucky to come home alive: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070220
But we pressed forward. Myself, Erik "I think Asian girls are fun" Johnson (EJ), and Vilas "The best looking Indian girls are the ones that don't look Indian" Abraham. Even though EJ did not attend the concert, sometimes missionaries need supplies and moral support. EJ was definitely that man.
Missionaries: EJ, RJ, VJ (Singh)*On the way to the airport I got a text from Vilas who was on his way to the airport in Chicago. He told me he was listening to Celine's epic ballad "Power of Love." At that moment I was listening to the same song on my IPOD. That's when I knew it would be a successful trip.
Vilas: "But with a sporting event things can go wrong. Your team could lose or it could be a crappy game. There's always those risks. But with the Celine concert it's like guaranteed satisfaction. The worst thing I've heard about the Celine show is that it's 'really good.' Everyone else says it is 'really incredible' or they cried."
Q: How did Vilas and I manage to get Orchestra seats without spending crazy money for a show that's sold out until the final show on December 15th when the cheapest broker seats for the worst seat in the place was $650?
A: Let's just say we truly do believe in the Power of Love.
"A New Day" Facts
*Five-year, 725-show theatrical presentation created and directed by Franco Dragone, creator of Quidam, O, and Mystere
*As of October 2007, over 3 million people have seen the show
*On finishing on December 15, 2007, the show is expected to gross $400 million, one of the highest ever in music history
*Celine performs it at the 4,148-seat Colosseum at Caesars Palace, which was originally built for her
*60 dancers perform on stage with Celine
Not only was this Vilas's first time experiencing Celine, it was his first time in Vegas. But you wouldn't have known that, after all it's cool and hip and normal and not embarrassing for your friends at all to have a map of the Vegas Strip sticking out of your back pocket and wanting to take solo pictures at all the Hotels.
Right before the show
Vilas: "RJ, you're probably the only person to ever see this thing three times. You should be recognized tonight. Actually, my friend's brother who's a year older than us and is also an AZN has seen it twice. He's also seen Ashlee Simpson in concert twice hahaha...actually, he's kind of like you hahaha!"
Ron: "Who does he go see the shows with? Does he have a girl?"
Vilas: "Hahahaha no, he's single!"
Ron: "That's so awesome"
*A cameraman came around to take pictures. He told me to stand next to my friend. I corrected him by saying "partner," to which the people near us looked uncomfortable. I wanted to do one of those hugs on the waist from behind on Vilas but cameraman told me he had to keep it rated G.
Concert Review
PLEASE SEE BELOW IN THE APPENDIX FOR VILAS'S REVIEW OF THE SHOW
1) "A New Day Has Come"
*Watching Celine come on stage, even for the third time, is like being in the presence of royalty. Her majesty looked and sounded incredible, goose bumps formed, all the hairs on my body stood up (I have a lot of hair on my body in a lot of areas).
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ziy2RaoncGw
2) "The Power of Love"
*This is definitely one of the top 10 greatest songs of all time:
1) "Lightning Crashes" - LIVE
2) "Summer of '69" - Bryan Adams
3) "The Power of Love" - Celine Dion
4) "With or Without You" - U2
5) "The Rose" - Bette Midler
6) "This Is How We Do It" - Montell Jordan
7) "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" - Simon & Garfunkel
8) "We've Got Tonight" - Bob Segar
9) "Shook Me All Night Long" - ACDC
10) "Total Eclipse of the Heart (Dance version)" - Nicki French
Honorable mention: Anything by BOYZ II MEN, pre-crazy Mariah Carey/Whitney Houston/Madonna
For those of you who are impatient, fast forward to 3:00 of the below clip, that's where Celine really pushes down hard on the pedal:
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuh1phA3_5M
3) "Because You Loved Me"
*This is from that movie "Up Close and Personal" with Michelle Pfeiffer. Michelle Pfeiffer still has it going on.
Current Top 5 Babes
1) Hilary Duff
2) Michelle Pfeiffer
3) Lauren from "The Hills"
4) Audrina from "The Hills" but only if she had much much smaller teeth and looked much much smarter
5) That Asian girl who's on those TOEFL-type ads that are posted in NYC subways
4) "It's All Coming Back to Me"
*The power of Celine's voice pounds on your heart and chest, like really pounds on you. But instead of hurting, it feels so good.
5) "To Love You More"
*This song is pretty incredible. Remember a long time ago on VH1 Celine performed this song live and the violinist was an Asian girl?
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdHRhf0KBzs
CELINE TALKS TO THE AUDIENCE
*Vilas: "Dang, she's so nice...Celine's kind of fobby though. In a Canadian way. It's like when my Mom tries to say something pop-culture-ee. It's kind of awkward."
6) "I'm Alive"
*First fast song. Celine got everyone to stand up and clap. The audience as usual was mostly older people who wore nice clothes and never let loose. Sort of like an overly zealous praise leader at a Korean church trying to get people to dance and sing like crazy, only to have them awkwardly look around and calmly clap.
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Td3gmIT3oU
7) "I Drove All Night"
*This song has so much energy. Makes me feel like I'm going 150 mph but remaining in complete control.
*Check out the clip and her hot white outfit...she has so much style and swift dance moves...like a swift deer!
*Again, for those of you who are impatient, fast fwd to 2:51, it's HOT
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3hVATwnDRg
8) "Seduces Me"
9) "Ammore Annascunnuto"
*Vilas: "Okay, alright now, I'm feeling it."
10) "I Surrender"
*This song is pretty solid. She holds the last note for SO long and yet with so much strength...but it sounds so good. It doesn't make sense. It's like she's yelling at the top of her lungs, only to produce melodious sonnet. It's like me splashing around in garbage and coming out smelling like Pert Plus shampoo. Anyway as she held that note it got to be too long, that I started getting nervous. I myself could not breathe! And while she's on stage she never drinks water, sometimes 5-6 songs in a row. That's remarkable.
*Vilas during the long note: (with a serious/focused look, shaking head in awe and disbelief)
11) Second French song
12) "All the Way" (Frank Sinatra)
*The beginning of Celine's 3 song Sinatra tribute
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2TpiQkU35U
13) "I've Got the World on a String" (Sinatra)
14) Some other Sinatra Song
15) "I Wish" (Stevie Wonder)
16) "Love Can Move Mountains"
*Celine came out in a HOT silver dress
Ron: "Celine looks really good."
Vilas: "Nah, she's too skinny. Kind of has an AZN body. But taller."
17) "River Deep Mountain High"
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQS_g9fy3Vs
18) "My Heart Will Go On" (Titanic)
*During the intro of this epic song a woman flies through the air in a massive wedding dress. Awesome.
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4iSUhCegDM
*Toward the end of the show Celine gave a stuffed animal to this adorable Asian girl sitting in the dead center, first row. She must've been 3 years old, barely able to sit in her own chair. She was adopted as Celine gave her Mom a rose. It was a touching moment, everyone there was moved except for one person:
Vilas: "What the heck? What is this? What a waste of a perfect seat. I want that, gimme that (stuffed animal)."
*Usually Celine ends with a cover of the Louis Armstrong classic "What a Wonderful World." Here's a clip:
CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPxxCMlh9ps
Aftermath
*After the show we hung around the theater, b/c there really wasn't anything better to go to.
Vilas: "Why are there so many people still here? And why are they all AZNs?"
Usher: "Who are you waiting for?"
Ron: "Celine."
Conclusion
There are a lot of Celine haters. But those who dislike or do not embrace her music...I don't understand. You know that scene from "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" when Kate Hudson tricks Matthew McConaughey into going to a Celine concert and afterward Matthew is embarrassed and miserable? That's so fundamentally wrong! Let's strip away her cheesiness, the way she beats her chest when she sings, all the sappy Oprah moments, etc. Just take her voice. It sounds better in person than on CD. So pure, so pristine. How could you not like or appreciate or at the very least respect the sounds that come out of this woman's mouth? The power, the passion, the sincerity? No matter what kind of issues a person has in his or her life, you have to be able to recognize the rare moments in life that make us smile. The good moments. Like a sunset, or a sunrise, an elderly couple that still holds hands, the bottom of a baby's feet...in the same way, how can you hear a song like "Power of Love" and not feel anything?? Besides having the best voice in the world, the reason why "A New Day" is a tremendous experience is that Celine really brings it, every time. For every show she sings as if it's her first ever performance or her last ever performance. She never takes a note off, she is like Kevin Garnett but with 8 championship rings.
Extras: Vilas Quotes/Vegas highlights
*At the Bellagio Buffet Dinner table:
Vilas: "Wait, you guys don't know what ferbee (sp?) parties are?? Really?? So they're basically these big orgies. But you have to dress up in costumes. Like, let's say someone's a sheep and another person is a lamb. They dress up like that and have to act like those animals. And then they rub up against each other and stuff and have sex and stuff. You guys really haven't heard of this? Well, you've heard of cuddling parties right? What? Really? Actually, I think they started in New York. So strangers like go to these things to cuddle. But you can't just cuddle with anyone. You have to ask someone for permission. But if they oblige, then you can proceed to cuddle with that person."
Ron/EJ: "How do you know about this stuff?"
All: (awkward silence)
*At the new club LAX at Luxor, when NBA player Gary Payton was announced and everyone was cheering:
Vilas (yelling): "GP is waaashed up, wahhhshed up! He's short. I can post that kat up!"
*Apparently the new phenomenon at Vegas clubs is to "Make it Rain," where patrons throw hundreds of $1 bills onto the dance floor from a higher floor. For the rest of the weekend EJ would randomly yell, "Make it Rain!"
*Outside of LAX Vilas befriended a group of maybe 5-6 Asian girls from LA who were there for "Bridezilla's" bachelorette party:
Bridezilla: "You like my friend (Kelsey), don't you? You think you she's hot, don't you? Don't You?? DON'T YOU?!?!?!
Ron (extremely frightened): "Uhm, yeah, I mean, yes, she is pretty."
Bridezilla: "Well she has a boyfriend so too bad, hahahaha (very evil laughter)"
Ron: "So why are you getting married?"
Bridezilla: "Why do you jack off?"
Ron: (stunned silence)
Editor's Note: Usually I can come back with something, even a little something. After she said that everyone looked at me, to see what I'd say. But I froze. I couldn't process anything. So I was completely silenced. And even now, days later, I sill don't know what I would have said.
Vilas: "How do girls like that (Bridezilla) meet guys? Crazy b*tches like that?"
(Pussycat Dolls song plays)
Vilas: "You know that lead singer of Pussycat Dolls? (Shaking head in awe and disbelief). Phenomenal. I would totally get with her, even if she were a crazy b*tch."
Vilas: "AZN girls from LA are crazy. AZN girls in the midwest aren't like that, aren't crazy."
Vilas: "You like that name for an AZN girl, don't you? Kelsey? That's hot!"
Editor's Note: Yes, I do like that name for an Asian girl. Almost as good as Kelly Kim. Come to think of it, Celine would be a hot name for an Asian girl.
Vilas: "Did you notice that that girl (Bridezilla) was belligerent to me and you and was making fun of us, but when EJ came by she got all quiet and shy and nice?
Ron/Vilas Discussion: "Dude, if we could be EJ for one day we would do some serious damage. EJ is such a nice guy and always talks about how much he loves his girl. But if we were him, 6'4", sandy blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, athletic body, we would tear it up!"
EJ in bed: ladies, please calm down...
*Random Brian Chang NYC Memory:
Brian: "Yoo, where you from?"
Random Girl at Club: "Nassau County."
Brian: "Whoaaa, that's like outer space!" (like NASA)
Random Girl at Club: (walks away)
*After leaving LAX
Vilas: "That club was all hype. All hype! We could've had more fun at White Star in Chitown. I mean, LAX, it was a good experience for us. But it was all hype!"
Vilas: "There was a really strange distribution of girls at that club. They were either really good looking or really ugly, but no average girls. It was bizarre"
*After leaving "Ghost Bar" and "Moon:"
Vilas: "The problem is that some people who go out in Vegas only go out when they're in Vegas. That's why you see a lot of old people and not so good looking people at these clubs."
Vilas: "RJ, you would like going clubbing in Cali. I went to this club in San Fran. There was a huge line outside of the warehouse, like hundreds of people, all AZNs. Mostly Chinese, but really hot girls, like that girl ------."
*Only in Vegas: At the Venecian we saw these stunning three blondes, they looked like triplets and they were dressed the same. They were with this Hugh Hefner wannabe old dude. Vilas was fascinated by this (and turned on), he kept following them and even took this pic:
*So Vilas has these five pillars of the perfect woman. I only know two of them:
1) "She must think I'm hilarious"
2) "She must be a good cook"
Vilas: "Yeah, the cooking thing is key. It's the only thing about a girl that doesn't fade over time."
Ron: "It actually should get better as years pass, right?"
Vilas (excited): "Wow, I've never thought about it like that, but you're right. Everything about a girl depreciates, but the cooking actually appreciates!!"
*Saturday morning (phone call)
Ron: "Yo, where are you?"
Vilas: "At the Tropicana, taking a crap."
*Ron: "Where are all the Indian girls?"
*Vilas: "On their rotations...at the hospital. Indians just aren't into Vegas like AZNs are."
*Vilas: "I'm going to play some poker, dominate these rookies."
Editor's Note: He actually did win a ton at the poker tables."
*After Celine show on the way to "The Palms"
Vilas: "It kind of feels wrong to go out after the Celine show. It's not like her show was depressing, it just makes you introspective. It's like going clubbing after a Good Friday Service."
10 min later:
*Ron: "Dude, I told you, she doesn't do that one in her show."
*Random Brian Chang NYC Memory II
We were leaving Shilla Restaurant in K-Town and this girl was walking by. Brian suddenly opens his arms wide and yells, "heyyy, what's up Grace, I haven't seen you in forever!" The girl giggles sheepishly and says he must have the wrong girl. Later I ask Brian, "who did you think she was?" Brian replies, "nah, nobody, I usually use the name Grace but sometimes I use Esther, it's bound to eventually work."
Epilogue
*Upon returning to NYC I went to the Kelly Clarkson concert at the Beacon. I was going to write a review and post pics about that but...by the way, Kelly rocked it, she's freakin good. But I'd say it takes 2-3 weeks after a Celine show to be ready for another concert. It was just unfair to Kelly, it's like going to the 1998 Superbowl when John Elway and the Broncos won their first championship, and then the next day going to your kid's soccer game. Again, I don't want to disrespect Kelly and it is also true that I don't have a kid. But when I was a kid I would be playing in a soccer game and I would look for my dad in the stands. He was there but he was often reading a newspaper, so the game couldn't have been that good.
*For those of you who would like to learn more, the official Celine Dion: A New Day Vegas concert DVD will be released in December. I will hold bi-weekly showings in Apt #8A.
“A New Day” has in fact come, and gone. One might think that the months of anticipation and build up to this perpetually sold out Celine Dion performance might have made the event itself a bit anti-climactic, but nothing could be further from the truth. I would go as far as to say that hope implied in the title of this show is exactly the feeling that one comes away with after listening to this diva’s stunning voice at the Caesar’s Palace auditorium in Las Vegas. Inspiring. Yes, inspiring.
For whatever reason, human nature tells us that we must associate certain people with certain things; kids and cartoons, Indian people and programming, guys and sports, and for some reason, middle-aged women and Celine Dion. Though I might disagree with this sentiment, it was actually quite accurate in describing the demographic of the crowd on hand. And oh yes, the husbands/boyfriends were in attendance as well. (Hopefully on their own accord, because it would be a shame to know that so many seats were begrudgingly being occupied while hundreds, maybe even thousands, could not attend because of the lack of tickets or exorbitant prices of scalpers).
Even if my buddy RJ (who was in attendance with me) and I were not the typical audience members of this event – by some stretch of the imagination – we were without question the most sincere fans. It was quite clear just by observing the body language of those around us prior to the opening that they were here to simply “watch a show”, while RJ and I were there to experience Celine. The smiles on our faces and unintentional humming of “The Power of Love” were a dead give away.
Onto the performance itself. From the moment Celine released the first note when performing her single “A New Day Has Come” we knew we were in for a treat. RJ’s famous comment about Celine’s live voice being “pure and pristine” was almost an understatement. And yes RJ, it actually did sound better than the CD. Unbelievable.
The first several songs were the classics. These are the tracks that everyone at Thanksgiving dinner - from Grandpa, to Aunt Gertrude, to Little Billy, to good old Papa – will recognize and sing-a-long to. “It’s All Coming Back to Me”, “Because You Loved Me”, and “To Love You More” are included in this list, just to name a few. My favorite classic was of course, “The Power of Love”. How can anyone hate on that song? “Sometimes I am frightened but am ready to love” – those are lyrics that cut to the heart. Its one of those tunes that is simply transcendent.
The middle and later half of the show consisted some French songs, a few covers, and handful of additional English singles. Nature was calling me as Celine began to belt out her first French song, but I tried to fight it since missing a second of this performance was not an option. But I needed to GO. I quietly explained this conundrum to RJ to which he quickly responded – “This song isn’t that good so just go now. You need to be able to thoroughly enjoy the good stuff that’s coming up later.” Problem solved. Thanks bro. By the way, to those casual Celine fans out there that might not know all her jams you have to check out “I Surrender”. It’s my new fave, especially after hearing it live.
Beyond being a memorable vocal performance, “A New Day” was a massive production. Backup singers, a multitude of dancers, elaborate props, and ornate outfits were a visual feast for the eyes from beginning to end. With so much going on throughout the show the uninterrupted flow from one song to another and from one set to the next was quite impressive. I must say that the interpretation of “Its All Coming Back to Me Now” to the tango by the dancers was a pleasure to watch. They were limber, lively, and yet sensitive to the deep emotion of the song. And I’m not just saying that because I’ve seen “Dancing with the Stars”.
The most touching moment of the show came after the upbeat ballad “To Love You More” as Celine addressed the crowd. “Thank you all so much for joining me here tonight… to feel this kind of love and support is amazing… Sunday night is alright!!” Despite the hundreds of performances of this show she had put behind her, Celine delivered this message to the crowd with the utmost sincerity, as tears welled up in her eyes. What more can you say about the woman?
Even magnificent performances do not lack their fair share of oddities, and Celine’s show was no exception. One of the first things I noticed was that a common thread to her on-stage persona was the “chest smack”. In the middle of most songs, spontaneously, she would raise her left arm and proceed to smack her chest. It wasn’t quite strong enough to be considered a “chest pound” or quite weak enough to be considered a “chest tap”. In any case it was random and sporadic. It bothered me that I could not pin to any particular point in songs. Apparently this phenomenon of hers in well known by the general public, or so I was told when discussing the performance with friends. And I thought I was a fan.
Okay, so I’m as big a fan of rap music as the next guy who grew up in Queens, but during a Celine performance? Yes, that is exactly what happened right before Celine performed an old Stevie Wonder tune. The purpose of the rap interlude was clearly for a wardrobe change, as the star of the show was nowhere to be seen for a few minutes, but really, couldn’t the producers think of a more fitting way to kill time? The look on the faces of the suits and evening dresses in the crowd could only be described by one word - confusion. At least I now know what happens in the Where Are They Now? episode about Kris Kross.
No matter what your opinion on Celine Dion is, her pure vocal talent is undeniable. As Celine hit the high E at the end of “My Heart Will Go On”, to conclude the show, it sent shivers down my spine. She is a talent, but to many she is also a force of hope. “A New Day” is just what they – and maybe all of us – need.
Lasting Thoughts
Now do you believe, in the Power of Love?...
...because these guys do:
