[Article] Chris Rock Was The Only Black Guy At The Coldplay Show

[busybeeburns]

 

http://stereogum.com/archives/chris-rock-was-the-only-black-guy-at-the-coldplay_010819.html?utm_source=bb&utm_medium=me

 

I’m not saying that because Coldplay is now officially Stuff White People Like, I’m saying that because Chris Rock is saying that in a Celebrity MySpace blog post entitled “Only Black Guy Concert Review.” He lists some of the shows at which he held the distinction of being “the only black guy” — Van Halen, the White Stripes, the Cure, soon Radiohead, oddly not his “good friends” Metallica — but his phenotypic focus thereon is being the only black guy at that free Coldplay show at MSG. Like me, Chris didn’t enjoy being assaulted by Martin’s reminders that it was a free show. But Rock’s got slightly different reasons for that (hint: it’s because he’s black):

 

Via celebrity.myspace.com:

 

This week my assignment was to see Coldplay at Madison Square Garden. Now being the only black guy can sometimes be dangerous like the time I was the only black guy at an ACDC concert in Prague. There not use to seeing black people at all in Prague, but a black guy singing “hells bells” was just a little to much for them to take. Now I didn’t know what to expect from a Coldplay concert, but I figured I wasn’t gonna get stabbed in the middle of “yellow.” Anyway the concert was pretty good. I thought it was a perfect mix of old and new songs and I gotta say that when they did something from the new album Chris Martin was smart enough not to say the words you hate to here the most at a concert; ” This is something from our new album.” That’s like saying this is a good time to take a shit.Anyway when they did a new song they just did it and it seemed to fit right in with the old stuff. I didn’t know the names of any of the new songs, but the white people next to me seemed to know every word. If I have any complaints I thought Chris Martin might of mentioned the fact that the concert was free a few too many times. I thought it was a little obnoxious. If you pay for dinner just pay for it, don’t say to me you like that free food. Free food is good ain’t it. Again the white people seemed happy with it, but as the only black guy there I thought he might be talking to me. My other complaint was the use of pre record music and drum machines at one point I thought they were gonna sing rhythm nation, but other than those two things I thought it was a great concert. When they went into the crowd and did a striped down version of “yellow” I thought that was the highlight of a great night. Music critics like to compare Coldplay to Radiohead and that’s not fare. Coldplay is no Radiohead and Radiohead is no Coldplay. You can understand every word to a Coldplay song the first time you hear it. Nothing wrong with that. If anything, Coldplay kind of reminds me of a British Hall and Oates. In the eighties what did a pop record song like? It sounded like Darryl Hall. And now what does a pop record sound like? It sounds like Chris Martin. Any way I don’t know when the next concert is and I don’t know where it is but don’t worry you’ll see me because I’ll be the only black guy there.

 

He is so much better at reviewing shows than me. I win at spelling though.

[RICK8]

:lol: ?

[Pseudonym]

wow.

 

 

 

I love Chris Rock:laugh1:

[Aleluvscp]

he's right about the use of pre record music

[sasa08]

The review is actually from his website http://www.chrisrock.com

 

Funny no one checks the spelling on there! :D

 

 

Music critics like to compare Coldplay to Radiohead and that’s not fare. Coldplay is no Radiohead and Radiohead is no Coldplay.

 

I couldn't agree more, I never get what all the comparing is about.

[deaths_friend]

wow chris rock has a really good taste for music. on top of all the acts he mentioned in his blog he also worked closely with the chili peppers doing their hump de bump video and introduced them at both the grammys and live earth. always thought he was a great actor/comedian now i know his a awesome rock fan too!!

[Chris's Nuts]

That's hilarious. Thanks for sharing...

[nevaehdreamz]

You can understand every word to a Coldplay song the first time you hear it.

 

LMAO. As someone who listens to Radiohead, I found that very funny.

 

 

 

I don't like the guy, but funny review. But he seems to be one of those people on the internet that don't know the difference between your and you're and then and than and their and there, and fair and fare....you know words that sound the same, but aren't actually?

[CRYSTAL]

why does god continue this bloody rumours,gossip columns,magazines,gossips to exist.

 

Because god want to make other people suffer?

 

No i don't blame god.This is the world oh i need to understand it.:confused:

 

 

One thing Black or white never matter in listening to the stuff of Coldplay.

 

then why Chris is friends with jay z and beyonce and why he said he likes rihanna in one interview.

[majgirl]

I like his review that was really funny. I even agree about the drum machines, I've only seen the songs live on TV but it bothered my even then. Though to be honest I didn't care for some of the fake sounding drum beats on the record so its not really surprising that I wouldn't like it live.

[gus]

 

Via celebrity.myspace.com:

 

Coldplay is no Radiohead and Radiohead is no Coldplay. .

 

thats right i love coldplay and i dont like radiohead i dont think theyare the same.

[blackchickintheback]

Pretty good review. I love Chris Rock, he's hilarious.

And thanks to him for kind of breaking the stereotype of black people not liking anything other than rap/hip-hop.

It is kind of weird to be the only black/white/whatever person at a concert, but you get over it really quick. You're all there for one purpose anyway--to see a musician perform. Like Pallavi said, it doesn't matter what race you are when you're listening to Coldplay. :nice:

 

 

And I don't mind the pre-recorded music. :rolleyes:

 

 

*Edit* I just thought of a quote from Chris' rolling stone interview. He said he didn't want Coldplay's music to only appeal to "straight, right-winged men." or something like that.

[karen13v]

Free food IS good.

[ernestime]

Chris wasn't the "only" black guy at the concert, I was there as well ...

[Chris's Nuts]

see!! TWO people!! ha! take that Chris.

 

 

 

 

:P

[Chavi]

^ :lol:

that's a great review! it's really nice from Chris Rock ! :)

[djibou]

Even if he wasn't the only black guy there, I like his review. Everything he said in there seemed right to me. Maybe he shouldn't have insisted that much about the fact that he was black though.

[chuck kottke]

Hmm.. yea, Martin maybe got a little too self-absorbed on the "give me credit for my generosity" thing, but let's see Chris Rock offer a free concert as well (Chris Rock, you should be coming from a position of 'freeness')!:P

Marie, that's Chris Rock's humor - it's his trademark to fame, so-to-speak. Part of what you expect from his gig. There are some mild cultural differences - all fine with me, that's what makes life interesting, and funny at times!:laugh3:

[Ouiparis]

Good stuff, that Chris Rock. I actually think that Chris Martin kept on harping on the "free" aspect of the show as an apology for their (his) many mess-ups. Sort of like, "Sorry that we're messing up tonight, but hey, it's FREE!"

[Mimixxx]

Yeah, a nervous thing rather than him showing off.

[chuck kottke]

Ah, now I see said the blind man!:rolleyes: