Despite all the pre-game drama, it looks like the Jordan Festival is well under way. Last night I went to the Diana Krall concert up at the Citadel, which is, by the way, an absolutely amazing place for a concert. Surrounded by all that is Amman. City lights. Wedding fireworks somewhere in the distance. Perfect weather; it was really something. Krall played some real jazz and blues classics that included some legendary Nat King Cole, and ended the concert with an encore of “Route 66”. Meanwhile, somewhere in Jeresh, the crowds seemed to be going wild (as I heard over the phone) for Omar Abdallat and George Wassouf (aka Abu Wade3). But it’s interesting to see the diversity play its role, with different audiences, different ages, different venues, different artists and different music. The organization seemed pretty good. Although there was an overwhelming police presence and limited parking as usual. Also, cameras were not allowed. Why? What possible reason is there for no cameras being allowed? Does it distract the artist; especially someone who’s used to playing crowds 20 times of tonights’? Or is it over copyrights, i.e., someone owns the right to the photographic documentation of this concert? Well let me confess right here and now that I did manage to sneak a camera in (bless you Sara and your purse) and I did manage to snap a picture although it turned out horribly, and I was asked to put it away which I did reluctantly, but out an effort to respect the rules. But everyone else was busy snapping away. It’s because apparently, it’s 2008 and everyone has a camera phone.
Anyways, I digress. Diana Krall was great, and I’ll probably be listening to jazz records for the next week or two. Things are just starting up for the Jordan Festival and there’s a lot more ahead. Make sure you don’t miss out.
If anyone was there and has better photos than mine, please feel free to share.
[images: reuters]
was awesome last night 🙂
loved everything, her, the set up, her respect for the call of 3esha2 prayers, the guys performing with her, but much less some selly people seated in the 1st class in front of me 😀
hehe it was a great night and the organization was a great surprise and the fact that she was one good “space cadet” was especially refreshing. I was laughing at how they clapped after the 2athan but i did respect how they handled the occurrence and how they cut the song short for it.
Speaking of short, me and my friend were just getting into the concert and it was over …. so yeah i wanted it to be a bit of a longer set.
Other note was that it was like an expat gathering, most of the people there were foreigners.
The weather was perfect, not hot, and the wind was very pleasant although it kept blowing Diana’s hair into her eyes while she was trying to find the piano keys which she did!
Actually she ended the concert with S’wonderful. She came back on stage after the crowd wouldn’t stop clapping. I was so grateful because I was waiting for her to play that song (my favorite) through the whole concert.
The song I liked the most and that I thought she put the most feeling into was the one about Canada (A Case of you).
Did you notice how they stopped playing halfway through the song for the Azan.
I didn’t bring my camera (which would have taken perfect photos) when I read that they’re not allowed on the ticket, but a large number of people did, and no one was trying to stop them from taking photos. I did take a couple of photos with my phone, but they turned out lousy as expected.
Also if you were there early enough there was a woman on the PA who accidentally said (there was an emergency), and then the PA got cut off. That was scary. Later it turned out she was supposed to say (in case of an emeregency bla bla bla).
Bambam we clapped after the Azan for Diana so that she would proceed!
Didn’t Elissa join Omar Al Abdallat and Abu Wade3 in Jerash? Or did she not show up?
Actually, Elissa was on the agenda with the other two…her voice was not that great and kept giving out…out of the three that shared the stage last night; Omar was the best performer by far.
My gripe however is not that the concert started almost an hour late, that Elissa could hardly be heard, that there was a good 25 minute interval between Elissa finishing and Omar starting, that there was a further 15 minute wait between Omar and George, that George was obviously on something and gave a truly appalling performance littered with forgetting the words to his songs and looking like he didn’t know where he was at times. My grievance is with Mr. Mohammed Al Wakeel (radio personality) and his heinous behavior. Don’t get me wrong, we ALL love His Majesty. But when you praise a person to the long and drawn out extent that Mr. Wakeel did last night, that praise has a way of sounding false and artificial. Mr. Wakeel’s praise impressed no one in the audience and his multiple run on speeches of tribute were largely indicative of someone who had nothing to say but likes the sound of his own voice. It got so bad that at one point the audience began booing and cursing Mr. Wakeel for not getting off the stage. While I truly understand that at times presenters are placed in the precarious position of having to fill air time while waiting for the main act to take the stage, this was not the filler that should have plugged those long waits last night.
Diana was great and the citadel was a long undiscovered gold.
Organizing efforts were great, I was impressed with the easy flow.
i only wish i could have been there…hope khobbeizeh took videos!
I couldn’t make it because I’m out of town and probably won’t make it to Mika’s. Its a shame, but what can I do.
last night it was more than perfect, it was unforgettable night, every thing was neat, well organized, Diana was awesome, actually I have never heard about her, thanx to Hani who told me about her, she is really great, I am used to attend such events, but yesterday’s was so different, the weather was incredible and ppl were prestigious
I really enjoyed every minute, I have Diana’s albums in MP3, I will keep listening until I adore her.
Thanx Hani for a wonderful night
Last Night’s concert was amazing!! Diana Krall and her magical voice, the brilliant musicians, the ligtening, the stage, the weather, the view… everything was awsome except a couple of things that bothered me alot:
1- Hubby and I bought VIP tickets so we can get a good sopt!! WE are hudge fans of her… we went early and sat down on the third row… one of the (Ushers) came and asked us to move back!! because the first 6 – 7 rows were for (invitations – i.e. for ppl who didnt pay anything)!!! so we got to sit in the 9th row or 10th maybe (while we paid for 2 VIP tickets!!!) this bothered me alot… and it’s not fair… they should’ve say that before… that the VIP will start sitting in the 9th row so we would know what we r paying for.. anyways I tried to ignore that to enjoy the concert…
2- (Camera’s are not allowed)… that what was written on the tickets… and I followed the rules…. but I saw many ppl with cameras and no one tried to stop them!!! it upsets me alot coz I would’ve liked to take few pictures with my digital cam… but what can I say!!! I took some with my cell phone but it’s dark and unclear!!! I wish I can get some good shots from the lucky people who didnt follow the rules and brought their cameras… I guess it’s better not to follow the rules!!!
I hope the organizers will read these comments and try to avoid it next year!!
let’s back to Diana’s music… she performed amazingly some covers for Nat King Cole and Tony Bennette… but I was expecting two of her very best: (The girl in the other room) and (Temptation)… but anyways she was so great and it was unforgettable night…. 🙂
http://nasimjo.blogspot.com/2008/07/photos-from-diana-kralls-last-night-in.html for those who want photos
Thanx Nasim… I already found it and saved these pictures.. it’s amazing but I’m still looking for some more lol…
The Picture of the audience is cool… I saw many photographers taking pictures and I’m sure I’ve appeared in many!! but where are they???
I was sitting in the middle section right in front of Diana Krall… at the second row of the (tickets) ppl… as the USHER called us… because the invitors took the first 7 rows!!! well it’s the first time in my life I hear the VIPs sit behind the invitors!!
anyways I hope I can find some more pictures 🙂
Thanx Nasim
well … its not VIPs … VIPs dont pay for tickets, those who pay are 1st class ….
believe me things were alot better back in the 3rd where i was seated , at least no phones were ringing 😀
lol yes Nasim that’s true… I noticed that the 2nd and 3rd class were better… coz mostly they were young ppl… we sat around old ppl lol and that wasn’t fun hehehe they talked alot 😛
I wish Aveen can share some pictures of Diana Krall for everyone. har har. Yes, Diana Krall has a song that is so important for me when I am sad “pick yourself up and get it over again” when I am sad, I listen to her song. She put her feelings in the song.