Awesomeness does not describe the PHENOMENON called TINA
But it’s the only word that come close to being in the same ballpark as her brilliance.
I saw Tina Turner live in concert last night at Arco Arena. There are a few times in life where one can know beforehand they are about to witness history. This was one of those times for me.
Chances are pretty good that this is the final tour. Already its a comeback tour. Tina had retired in 2000. So I was clear driving to Sacramento yesterday that this chance probably wasn’t coming my way again. I missed seeing Queen and Janis and Hendrix live. I’d made a vow a while back not to let that happen again.
She was amazing and awe-inspiring! The show itself, the production of it, the theatrics, stage, crew, lighting, sound (except for the acoustics of Arco) was mind blowingly over the top. For a 68 year old, days away from 69, Tina puts some of us a generation her junior to shame.
There were numerous funny moments throughout the show. Tina has quite the sense of humor and her comic facial expressions convey boatloads.
Besides the unseen camera, lighting and pyrotechnics crews the show was comprised of three more groups of support performers–the band, the back-up singers and the “between numbers” entertainers, in this case, the “Ninjas”, an acrobatic troupe that leapt and arieled their way across, up and all around the stage.
At the end of the show Tina introduced everyone and one of the Ninja kids flipped his way across stage and when his too loose sweats slipped off his rump Tina called him out on it. She told him: “Tie them up!” The audience roared as he obediently complied!
I can say, without hesitation, I was fully cognizant of being in the presence of greatness last night. How lucky and blessed am I? Being witness to one of the last of a generation of real, good, evolved people, genuinely worthy of hero status is, as they say, priceless.
I thank god there still exist a few elders we can respect, admire and take lead from. Thank you Tina!
