When I heard earlier this summer that Don McLean, an American icon and
one of my all-time favorite artists, was going to be giving a concert at
nearby Chautauqua, NY, I was thrilled. But before purchasing tickets, I
discovered that he would be playing two months later in Buffalo - for
free. There was no way I was going to miss the opportunity to see Don
McLean in concert, but being a bear of very few bucks, I decided to go
to the free concert, foregoing the $30 a ticket price tag for the more
intimate location. Mom and Dad did not have to be persuaded to agree
that this was definitely worth a two-hour trip.
McLean
appeared at Buffalo Place on August 15 as part of the Thursdays in the
Square series. Before making our way to the large open area where the
concert was held, my family and I had to dodge legions of Christians
with large signs proclaiming the imminent end of the world and gospel
tracts condemning us for attending this event. I was tempted to protest
that Don McLean had once sung for the Pope, but then it occurred to me
that these particular Christians may not have been big fans of the Pope
either. More than the singer, however, I suspect they were offended by
the fact that the series was sponsored by Labatt?s Blue and many of the
attendees were watching with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the
other.
I have been to several concerts, and I must say I
prefer a contained setting where the audience is sitting down and unable
to chatter throughout the concert or blow smoke in the faces of fellow
listeners. In order to be heard, McLean had to use such powerful
amplifiers that a bit of the musical quality was lost. However, with a
crowd this size, it was a very energetic event. At times the excitement
was almost palpable, and it was great to see so many people my age
getting psyched about Don McLean.
McLean took the stage after
being introduced by a representative from the local PBS station. The
man, after saying a few things about McLean, gave his name as "Don
McNeal," to which McLean answered, "It's McLean, you moron!" My parents
and I glanced at one another and wondered if that little snafu was
scripted. At any rate, it was soon forgotten as he plunged into a couple
of Buddy Holly tunes. Throughout the evening, he played a generous
number of songs encompassing a variety of styles.
Some of the stand-out tunes included Crossroads, the melancholy tune from the American Pie album contemplating the journey he has taken in his life; And I Love You So, a sentimental tune recorded by more than a hundred other artists including Elvis; Since I Don't Have You, a wistful song requiring a high vocal range which I first heard sung by Art Garfunkel; In a Museum, a new song for me which equated being placed in a museum with achieving obsolescence; This Little Light of Mine, a sing-along in deference to "the folks across the street"; and Vincent, the exquisite tribute to Vincent Van Gogh which was McLean's second big hit.
The audience was attentive throughout, but when the opening chords to American Pie
finally sounded, the crowd went absolutely wild. Everyone got up and
began to dance, with some of the younger audience members, freed from
their inhibitions by a couple of beers, expressing their approval in a
number of creative acrobatic ways. In the building next to the park,
dozens of people were sticking their heads and hands out the windows and
flicking the lights on and off. And hundreds of voices chimed in on not
only the famous chorus, but the verses as well. After finishing the
song, McLean leaped into an extended reprise that extended our
enjoyment.
He even stuck around after the concert to sign
autographs, something I was sure he would not do because of the size of
the crowd. I was kicking myself that I did not bring our American Pie album for him to sign, but we bought one of his new CDs and he signed that. Very cool.
I suspect that I would have enjoyed his Chautauqua concert more than
the one I attended, primarily because he would not have had to play his
music quite so loudly. However, seeing Don McLean is seeing Don McLean,
and I am very glad to have had the chance to do it. McLean is one of the
greatest singer-songwriters of the century, and his appeal has not
dimmed with time.
