The concert wrap-up

OSLO, Dec. 11, 11:25P, local time

President Obama made the right pick in inviting Esperanza Spalding to play at his concert. The girl is so gifted it's sick. And the fact that she, too, comes from mixed racial/ethnic heritage may also have some affinity for him.

Never jammed too much to Toby Keith before, but I did appreciate his music. Great 10-piece band, and touching lyrics. That has always been the thing with good country. If the lyrics are right, you will have a hit. And country artists tend to be more lyric driven, at least in comparison to modern R&B! And Will Smith made a funny, yet truthful crack: while President Obama may have had to walk tightropes concerning his Nobel Peace Prize lecture, Toby Keith has a finer one to walk, as a Southern country star who's a Democrat! The horror!

Still, his tribute song to Wayman Tisdale, "Cryin' for Me," was unexpectedly touching.

Amadou & Mariam brought the rhythms of the continent to the crowd, and Luis Fonsi kicked it up, Latin style. There was appreciative applause, but not as wildly felt as when Keith wrapped up his set. The way the crowd responded to him, I was going to start checking folks for lassos and chaps.

Now take the following comments to heart. Disregard any bias from the inner fangirl that's still bouncing off the walls when I say Donna Summer truly tore it up! Headlining acts always go last, and also suffer the showtime overrun. It was to be expected with nine preceding acts ahead of her. She cut down her playlist, omitting favorites such as "MacArthur Park," "Smile," and "No More Tears" and powered up "She Works Hard for the Money" with a "Bad Girls/Hot Stuff" medley. She wound it down with "Last Dance," starting soft and slow, upping the tempo, winding it back down, then hitting crescendo.

Norwegians who started off stiff, who couldn't find their hips or their bootys when the night started were dancing all over the place by the time she hit her last note. She looked great and sounded even better. Not as much shimmy as she had back in the Queen of Disco days. But for an almost 61-year-old hot mama, she was indeed smoking! And she demonstrated the kind of showmanship, rapport with the audience, that a class act displays -- even if deep down you're mad that your songs got cut.

And while all of this was great entertainment and celebration, the magic moment was the finale. Willow and Jaden Smith kicked off the opening lines of MJ's "Man in the Mirror." And they were joined by everyone who had performed that evening.

I felt the tears pushing forward.

Look at where we are. Look at who we are. Folks who came from not much, who have gone on to touch the heart of the world, transform its views of itself in the process. Jada Pinkett. Will Smith. Esperanza Spalding. Toby Keith. Wyclef Jean. Donna Summer.Michelle Obama. Barack Obama.

All of them, living what has long been hailed as the American Dream, of coming from little and achieving much. And to end a program dedicated to peace and fellowship among nations with MJ, well it was stirring on multiple levels. And yes, my mascara fell victim tonight, if only a little.

The show folks: Mr. and Mrs. Smith

OSLO, Dec. 11, 10:32P, local time

Can't say that I have ever been a raving Will and Jada fan. Sometimes their smiles are just a little too broad, a little too Hollywood for a couple who came from hard-scrabble cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore, respectively. But tonight, I have to say they made me proud on a lot of levels. Consummate hosts and well-deserving to be on the world stage, they kept the show lively and props firmly on President Obama.

There had been some grumbling around town because the guest of honor skipped out on his own party. Some folks just called it rude. So whenever Will and Jada mentioned his name, there was a less-than-enthusiastic ovation . . . at first.

In the wisdom of the Nobel committee -- and I'm sure its public relations arm -- the live concert was interspersed with taped interviews Will and Jada conducted with the president, along with well wishes from fellow laureates, such as Archbishop Tutu, Al Gore, and Wangari Maathi. It all warmed up the crowd and soon, they were near their feet with applause. It was deft handling.

Excerpts:

Will Smith: This is the first time I've been nervous to be in front of a camera in a long time.
President Obama: Just think back to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
Smith: At your address yesterday, you spoke about "moral imagination." Could you speak further about that?
Obama: That speaks to my ability to stand in your shoes.  To see through your eyes. That kind of ability, to imagine ourselves in different situations, helps us connect with other people. Hopefully, it helps drive us to do better on a whole host of other things.
Smith: Yeah, but if one guy understands you, and you understand the other guy, there's still only enough water for one of y'all.
Obama: Hopefully, it will bring us together to see how we can build a new well, rather than fight over the one we've got. Not only do we have to consider the consequences of action, but also the consequences of inaction.

Another segment brought even greater applause after Obama responded to Jada's question about what First Lady Michelle Obama brings to his decision-making.

Obama: She's the most honest person I know.
Will Smith: I was also going to say she looks good, too.
Obama: Well, you could have.
Smith: Michelle is very, very fine.
Obama: I know. What could I do?
Jada: You did the right thing.
Obama: That's right.
Smith: Yeah, you analyzed the information. Then you made the right decision.
Obama: Yeah, I married her.
[Laughter.Then back to serious business when asked if he's relishing this moment.]
Obama: The truth of the matter is, this is one of those things, I suspect, that you will appreciate more in retrospect.The pace has been so hectic. I haven't had a chance to pull back and say, 'This is extraordinary.' But I don't think it's time to pat yourself on the back. If I'm able to execute, make things a little bit better internationally and domestically, then I'll be able to savor this a little bit more.


Whereas the audience started off stiffly, even snorting at times, when Obama's name was mentioned, these taped segments started a sea change. Suddenly, applause crept up at the sound of "Obama." Guess they got over the hurt.

(Photo courtesy of the AP)

The concert: an intermission-sized review

OSLO, Dec. 11, 9:28P, local time

The announcers have paged audience members to return to their seats about three times now. I'm  waiting for a giant hook to go out and scoop everybody up or for the doors to just shut down with massive metal gates shooting up, barring the heathens from re-entering! You have been warned!!!!

This is definitely a fashionable event, though some folks, as is always the case, just missed the mark. By that much.

Here are the quick takes on the show so far:

Stage

Lighting design is incredible, reflecting the passion and prose of each song with color flooding the lit N-O-B-E-L signage on stage. Makes for a dramatic backdrop. The production team truly is first rate. Awards shows at home could take note (are you listening BET?).

Artists

• Alexander Rybak. The EuroVision winner (think European "Idol") opened with a bang, between his rapid-fire strums on violin to his dreamy pleas on vocals. But his background dancers nearly stole his thunder with their acrobatic movements that coupled traditional Russian hat dance-type steps with Flying Karamazov Brothers-looking choreography. Oomph! My knees ache just watching them pop up and down like that, all the way to the floor on one leg, and popping up again like a Jack-in-the-box.  And then swinging in the air and climbing those cloths, and flipping backward and forward? Yeah. The Belarus-Norwegian Rybak is definitely a hometown pleaser. And that Jada said he was "cute" was enough to raise Will's comic eyebrow, and wit.
• Westlife. Pleasant enough pop. An offering from the UK, they are reminiscent of the Backstreet Boys, but with better range and writing. "You Raise Me Up" was a tender flourish, and "What About Now" had shades of Creed. Which is not a bad thing.
• Lang Lang. First of all, cuter than cute Willow Smith comes out and welcomed him to Oslo in Mandarin, since the family spent four months in China recently. It's assumed filming something. Kudos to the Family Smith for introducing multilingual comfort in their home. Sassy Willow, with a long bob on one side, shaved down cut on the other, has her mother's presence. But Lang Lang quickly took over with "Rhapsody in Blue." Backed by the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Chinese classical superstar sent the crowd to the skies for sure.
• Natasha Bedingfield. I'm embarrassed to say I wasn't up on her, though her single "Pocketful of Sunshine" sounded somewhat familiar. Strong vocals. But I wanted her to brush her hair. Badly.
• Wyclef Jean. Definitely got "Wyclectic" in that piece. As he sang "Gunpowder," the lyrics hit especially hard: Because the war is not over until you can feel love, peace, and hear the silence. But I smell gunpowder (gunpowder). Philly's gunpowder. Brooklyn's gunpowder. . .. He admitted that he was awed dumb-tonged when he was in the Oslo City Hall with President Obama. He then offered a spoken word piece dedicated to peace, sprinkled with "what-ifs" and slain world figures. Kennedy. King. Malcolm X. Princess Diana. But he brought down the house trying to get the mostly stiff crowd to jam. Especially when he sought out the royals. Priceless moment that defies words. Just watch. 

More in a moment!

Made it to the concert -- with MINUTES to spare! Phew!

OSLO, Dec. 11, 7:45P, local time

When they said the Nobel Peace Prize Concert was the hottest ticket in town, there was no kidding around on that one. The masses descending on the Oslo Spektrum were impressive. And everyone was dressed. Made me happy on a last-minute whim I tossed in a black velvet dress. When in doubt for formal affairs, go black. When traveling, go velvet, or at least a heavy jersey knit; fewer wrinkles!

I truly was panicked I wasn't going to make the venue on time. After touring Parliament, I hustled to a close-by deli to save my life, because I had not eaten up until that point, which is a general no-no for this browngirl. Spotting a Deli de Luca, I sped there to snatch up a calzone, some chips, a fish cake (national staple), and a San Pelligrino orange soda. That tallied about $22. I did mention this joint is pricey, right?

Now this was the third Deli de Luca I had visited since being in town, so I kind of knew the drill. Until ol' boy asked to see ID after I swiped my card. Now, this was the first time I had been carded. So I show him my passport. Then he wants the passport number. The ONLY time this happened. Now because he was brown and I'm brown, I just wondered whether I was getting a reverse profile or he was trying to hustle my passport number on some black market.I was probably just being paranoid and prejudiced, but I didn't like the feel or his attitude. Maybe he didn't really think I was American or something. Anyway, hunger won so I acquiesced. Dude was probably just doing his job the right way, and everyone else was just lax. I'll leave it at that.

Caught the train. Returned to the apartment. Did the Daily News web chat. Changed clothes. Headed back out, feeling confident.

Until I got on the wrong train. D-oh! It was now 7:10P. Doors to the venue closed at 7:30P! Sheesh!

Made it with seven minutes to spare! Yay! Seats were seven rows from the stage, in the press area. I didn't even mind the monster camera lenses in front of me, or the Jurassic Park-looking video cameras that swooped by every so often getting just the right angle for the folks at home and people relying on the jumbo screens.

I was a little bummed that (a) my pearl necklace broke and (b) my camera battery died, and I could have recharged it while I was doing the web chat. I did manage to get a few shots off before Betsy went bye-bye.

Finding sea legs

OSLO, Dec. 11, 11:25A local time

Been up for about an hour, and am still struggling to move. Might have something to do with getting two hours of sleep the night before and about six hours last night. At least the two stories were filed. Look for one on BlackAmericaWeb.com and the other on Philly.com or in the pages of the Philadelphia Daily News. I have to make sure I'm in a cafe or something by 5P local time to engage in the Daily News web chat about the Nobel Prize hoo-ha. Excited about that one! Hoping there will be some folks on the line. Scratch that. Some sane folks on the line. Should be fun regardless!

Okay. Gotta get moving. There are press credentials to pick up for tonight's concert. Donna Summer. Wyclef Jean. Toby Keith. Esperanza Spalding -- who played at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony yesterday. It's going to be a full line up.

The Obamas already are outta here, off to Denmark. I'll be following the climate change discussion shortly. But for the few hours left in Oslo, there is plenty to explore. And hark! There is a glimmer of sun out today! Be still my heart!