TACOMA, WA CONCERT REVIEW 09/02/2006

---by Mattsie (KatPack#1372)

Available Download: BHATCT, Think, LIA, SOTR (go to media folder)

KATHARINE

I froze and I couldn't speak, not even to the one next to me. She couldn't speak either (as she is also a Kat fan). I almost buckled when I saw her appear in real life in front of my very eyes. I stopped feeling my hands and feet. I stared at her and forgot what I was doing -- her video. I was overwhelmed, and in a rain-pouring ecstacy, I was soaking myself in it, wallowing in it like the nut that I am. Then I melted.

In person, she looked so much more beautiful, young and healthy with that great body, not very tall from my vantage point. She came out glowing, inspired, committed, barefooted. As usual, her beautiful voice soared high and wide, cutting through any hard form in the way. It reverberated in my ears for a while, but it surely repenetrated the recesses of my being and the ubiquitous corners of my mind.

Sporting a new straight-hair "do", wearing her black concert-signature dress, she interacted with the box drummer and shouted "what's up Washington?" during BHATCT performance, and how she rocked the arena with this performance was indeed a treat to everyone.

She was dancing around during "Think", making everyone stand up, and engaging with people on the floor. I even noticed she danced a little bit down there before running back upstairs. She was having a lot of fun from how she did those dancing-- very energetic.

She sang her heart out and then broke her silence to a confession that she has waited so long to reach Washington. She revealed that a lot of her family live in the state. She recalled "spending all her summers here growing up as a kid", and "she considers Washington as her second home", and that "their presence meant a lot to her". She spoke with some nostalgia but expressed her gratitude and acknowledged their support. She was happy to be back. She loves Washington (we love you too, Kat). I would only guess that it's possible a big part of her heart was left here. I love being a Washingtonian!

She stayed mostly in the center part of the stage during SOTR --People were screaming in sheer joy and excitement just seeing her, and she sang so beautifully. There were spurts and bursts of titillating screams even while she was singing, but in between, there was also this one brief moment of silence noted, as in awe, you could almost hear a pin drop. Her physicality and stage presence were wonders to behold, aptly matched by a cheering, applauding, standing crowd when the song ended, giving the last note a different from usual C# finish.

She performed 3 songs in a row without much talk in between. Her songs happened so fast. I couldn't even get to reposition my video or make a zoom or do some still shots in fear of losing the sound if I did that. I suspected a sense of eagerness in her to get through with the set in the best time frame and performance she could deliver. There was also a sense of modesty displayed, which I find admirable, the kind of feeling where you would not want to monopolize the time for your own individual story and glory just because you're performing in the state you partly call home.

The LIA finale was just as fun for me. Kat was wearing her tunic, thigh-hugger beige miniskirt, dress looking very young and bubbly. After the song was over, I caught her pulling Kellie by the hand going backstage in a giggly way (as if she was happy the song was done and they could do other things soon), but then the group came out again with Kellie leading and completing the final bow

TACOMA AUDIENCE AND THE OTHER IDOLS

Tacoma was awesome. The dome was about 91% full but the energy was electric and contagious. Actually, only parts of the high bleachers had vacant spots. People were punctual, excited and civil. 

They (the audience) were also very participatory.

After Mandisa's performance and after she acknowledged the audience by saying "the ladies of Washington can sing!" the roof of the dome almost left us. She rocked Tacoma and I could tell that people in Washington love and support the American Idol show. With Mandisa singing first, the show looked promising and exciting.

Bucky asked them to hold up anything that lights, I looked and a sea of lights suddenly ignited the whole arena with lighters, flashlights, cell phones, and various designs of glowsticks--some are orange too. However, his voice was weak, the band sound covered one entire song, although he recovered with the last one. 

They received Lisa with admiration for her piano-playing skills while doing her set. She introduced Paris as her best friend. Paris asked them if they would dance with her and rocking resumed. This girl's got great pipes and some hot moves --the next Janet Jackson!

Ace is a heartthrob, no question about it. His dance moves, kneeling, head shaking, beanie-wearing and throwing it to the audience, even high-jumping-- ignited girl screams. Even I screamed. I thought Ace performed very well.

They were struck by Kellie's appearance decked in all black --leather jacket and boots, contrasting the long blonde wavy hair. She didn't look as animated at all as I was expecting her to be. There were no exciting moves and I didn't hear much excitation for her either. I thought Kellie's vocal performance didn't really get me. Excuse me, girlfriend.

Chris asked them if they would be back to the dome when he gets done with his album and they roared. His voice sounded very, very good with the sound system. I loved his performance, if I may admit one more thing. There were young children holding banners for Chris and Kat-- really beautiful.

Elliott's appearance sent more loud ripples into the air when he joined Chris in a duet. People loved him. His performances were softer than Chris' but he surely had sentiments from everyone.

Taylor's shout-singing, harmonica-playing, guitar-acting-like-playing or playing-for-real was almost convincing that he was the star of the show, being the last one to sing in the sequence of performers, but I would have to disagree alittle bit. I agree that he has some soulful vocal tones, but the more promising vocal skills were not heard from him.

.....The young girls screamed for Ace and danced with Paris. Most young men's applause were for Chris' rocking the house with his guitar-singing performances. The teen girls and forty-ish women shouted for Katharine. I met an old couple in their seventies carrying an oxygen tank with them and told me they came to hear Katharine. The dads and older brothers yelled when Taylor came in.


THE VENUE AND SOUND

Old yet functional place but not as bad as I was told. The sound system was fine but could be enhanced.


MEMORABILIA AND POP TARTS

Lots of people lined up to buy their idols' mementos. I got myself only of Katharine's, of course, but some people bought Kat's and Taylor's together, Chris' and Kat's together. Kellie's and Kat's together, etc. The pop tarts were rationed chilled and really tasted good. The dispensers gave away so many; I got half a dozen (they kept giving me for some reason).
 

CAMERAS AND VIDEOS

I saw real video cameras, believe it or not, and really good ones, so expect some vids from other people on other idol threads. Those must have passed thru the guards without notice. I could have brought mine but was afraid it would be noticed and ordered removed or returned to the car. So I kept my digital (with enough zoom/optical) to capture the optimal.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It was a successful concert. 10 people performed like professional stars. It was not a competition so nobody won and nobody lost. Each individual performer had something to bring. Some showed courage and confidence while a few rendered sheer talent and pure vocal skills. It was an enjoyable evening in Tacoma and a memorable night for me, a fan of Katharine McPhee.

Thanks, Mattsie, for getting your Tacoma review on tonight. I'm glad we Nortwesterners take the time to write extensive reviews in the middle of the night after being exhausted from the show earlier.

Those comments above Kat made about Washington are very interesting to me. I had no idea Kat has such a strong relation to WA--going all the way back to her childhood. When I heard her grandparents lived up there, I also heard it was part of the time. So I always assumed it was just a tangential relation to the state. But now that she has stronger family ties--we can officially declare her a Northwesterner by heart and linkage. I'm glad to hear she's going to be spending time around there for the Labor Day Weekend. I hope people leave her at peace, though, and not try to track her down. No following the trail of barbecue smoke in people's backyards.

I heard from Elphie's account (from Linda's cell phone convos) that Kat did the same thing on the last note of 'OtR' as she did in Portland. She's going up an octave now on the last beats of the "I" note...followed by a melisma. That's just pure musical brilliance in my book, and you never know from night to night what shape Kat's going to give these songs. It'll be interesting if she continues that in the upcoming dates.

Seeing your comment that everybody was punctual at the venue made me envious. The people in Portland weren't punctual--which made the show start about an hour late. But that happens in a lot of cities. Kudos to the Washington crowd for (hopefully) making the show start at 7 like it's supposed to.

I neglected to mention the Pop Tarts myself in my review. Those guys running around in the Pop Tarts outfits were fun to watch interact with kids...though I wondered how the reps (actual humans, incidentally) would be passing out the real Pop Tarts in the lobby. I assumed they'd be wrapped--and they thankfully were. My mom was with me, so we got two. Yes, they were cold, so they must have been in a freezer prior to the reps passing them out to people near the exits.

Looking forward to seeing the vids of Kat's performances--something that's missing from the Portland show so far. We heard something about the use of a towel during 'LiA' with Kat and Taylor tonight...so the video feed of that needs to be seen. Also, the usual analysis of how she tackles 'BH' and 'Think' will be done. Kat patted the box drummer on the head in Portland during 'BH'--so he's still getting the most attention.

Yes, that Tacoma Dome is an old venue, so I hope your seating was comfortable. The older seats in there can get pretty cramped in an older venue.

Thanks again, Mattsie. We all had memorable experiences up here in the NW. And it seems we'll probably discover more about these shows as time goes on from different people who were there.

thanks mattsie.. i'll be waiting your recap tomorrow..

Greg, you got to excuse my brain last night for not completing the review, I was too tired to recall. Besides, I was like in a state of shock that I could not even recall  too well the details, but I have the video to refesh my memory. When you're watching and recording at the same time, something is always going to be compromised. In this case, the still shots were compromised. I'm usually a better still shooter than video recorder, but this time, I opted to take the video. It's a shame that I have no stills for Kat. I could not do 2 things at the same time. The multitasking of looking at her, watching and enjoying the show, then recording vids and shooting stills were just too impossible to have been done by one person. I knew I should have gone to the Rose Garden with you. It would have given me introductory leverage as to how to react to KAT in a tempered way upon seeing her in person. I would not have been punished with this "daze" that I still feel about the concert. If I had gone to Portland, I would have minded my camera techniques very very well. I was the one compromised. But, I enjoyed the show and this concert was  a successful one. Thanks, mattsie.

great review mattsie

great!!!!

Great review Mattsie, thank you. Looking forward to your videos.

I didn't realize Katharine had such ties to the the Pacific Southwest ( I'm in Southwest Canada)  either. I have posted her radio interview from after Top 24 I believe, in the media section. She say's a lot more about it there.

hey guys, I've just edited my review of tacoma. I feared duplication of my words from my other reviews or posts before, so I was so careful that I had delayed its completion. Last night I thought of withholding it until later today to really complete it, but I realized that it might be too late by then, so I posted it anyway. Thanks for all your comments. I never knew I could make these remarks about anybody. Who would have known what I could do if I had not been involved in KMF?

My pleasure, my pleasure, my Katharine.

Mattsie, you're phabulous. We loved your review and despite doing the vids by yourself, you did a great job. I hope you were able to have fun too. I know that when  you replay your vids as I do with mine, you will see and enjoy Kat's performances even more. And what makes them special are the remarks she adds, like her mentioning spending summers there in Washington.  And thanks for your wonderful contribution to KatsConcerts too!

Hi Minnie,

Yes, I did have a lot of fun (in spite of the little frustration), and I would not have exchanged this concert for any emergency (just kiding but perhaps true). Indeed, a moving picture with sound is always better and more special than a still photograph. With video, you capture the emotion in its truest sense.

Seeing and hearing Kat in person was an incredible experience -- an opportunity never to be missed by any Kat Fan.

Thanks for the kind words.
Mattsie

Mattsie-Thanks for doing the video and great write up for our concert. Only a few of my pics came out. I enjoyed meeting you.

Hi Linda,
Thanks, and I'm glad you could come up with some pictures of Kat's. When can you post them up? I tried to come up with the best vids that I could do. As you know, we were really speechless and just fully taken, so to speak, at that time when she came out to sing. The time just flew by so fast and we were working those cameras nervously maybe, even, but thank God, I got them all out now and thanks to Simon too for his skills ---the vids are now all combined into one.

Wow. I enjoyed meeting you too.  I was actually looking for you after the concert. I  had lingered along the exit door for another 30 minutes to see if we could have our pictures taken if you had shown up but I guess you were out by the buses already. I bought Kat's collections and T-shirt and then I came up to 2 ladies buying Kat's posters --it was Amanda and her friend. That was really cool, I thought, and we had our picture taken.

I went home feeling so "light" in a sense. I was not very much myself, kind of, meaning "dazed" and "ecstatic" at the same time. The night before, I didn't have much to sleep and the whole day Saturday I did some errands, so after the concert and that drive from Tacoma I was feeling kind of "tired" or just "out" that I couldn't think straight in front of my laptop. I scribbled a few paragraphs but I had to put it off for the morrow as I needed to hit the sack. In bed I was thinking of all those videos that I took if they even had images. I got so nervous because I knew the KMF's were counting on me.

With only 4 hours of sleep I was back to work, this time I was composed more or less, having rested a little bit. That was really fun, I thought. I never had been to an idol concert before and I never had been a serious fan to involve myself in any fan project, not even Kelly Clarkson, and I really liked her a lot. But here I am so engrossed and occupied by the whole video thing. It really made me feel like a kid again. Thanks to you, Kat. The pleasure is all mine.----mattsie

Great review...you made me feel your excitement!

katharine06idol and reddeb, thanks for your comments too. I appreciate you reading my review. You can also read this on the katsconcerts.com. If I may add, Kat had straight hair. She didn't have extensions this time, but she looked just as beautiful. Her nails were polished reddish too, I noticed. She blew me away with her voice once again. She actually sounded like "Aretha Franklin" herself in some parts when she did "Think" which I thought was great. There was a part there where she was phrasing in the tone of Aretha. It was amazing to hear it for the first time. I don't know if I heard it that way before. It was really an experience I could never forget, seeing her perform LIVE, attending her concert, even if I did not meet her in person (as I didn't have a pass).

good evening everyone!!!

thanks for posting mattsie! your recap was extremely detaled and amazing!!! ive seen some videos already and kat was really amazing, her vocals were top notch!! so you were at a good show

.... yay i am now officially an Addict!!!!  
Steph