According to the San Jose Mercury News it was more than a failure, it was an absolute train wreck. Following years of self imposed exile, in the last few months we've been getting bits of news about Lauryn Hill activity. First she scheduled a few European shows, then she scheduled a couple of California shows and finally her reps said she was working on a new solo album. This Oakland,California show was the first of few gigs she has lined up this summer.
(actual photo from friday's performance)
The night started off on a bad note, when the audience was treated to over one hour of complete silence after the opening performer left the stage. Lauryn was either not in the building or not ready to hit the stage as the fans sat. According to reporter Jim Harrington, seventy five to one hundred fans headed for the exits just four songs into Lauryn's set, "Her voice was terrible, so harsh, strained and unlike what one hears on the masterful "Miseducation" CD. She also sounded like she's out of shape, huffing and puffing like a weekend warrior after only a few songs."
During the night Hill stumbled around n stage on occasion and at one point she fell straight on her back, blaming the fall on her high heel shoes. Hill even took time out to assure fans that she was sober. By the time Hill's vocal performance got better half the crowd had filtered out and gone home.
As detailed in the YouTube video below, Lauryn took a few moments out of the set to explain her lengthy absence to the fans. Stating that the industry was attempting to turn her into a caricature, and she needed time off to "clean house and get her priorities in order"
Maybe her performances in England next week will be better, we can only hope.
Mercury News
My Trusted MOGs
personally i think this is getting old. every other few months or once a year you read an article about how something is obviously wrong with her. honestly she seems so fragile now that maybe she just can't take how cutthroat the music biz is. until she gets her act together which by many accounts doesn't seem to be happening i just dunno about her.
My Trusted MOGs
Miss Hill is the personification of the spoiled artist. She insults whatever audience she has with her lifeless, who-gives-a-shit performances. (or lack there-of.) Wylcif Jean was the only one who'd channel her talent, and chisel away the self-indulgence. The Reeducation Of ......was such a frustrating work. a few real gems lay buried in that mess, the rest is sophmoric self aggrandizing. One hopes she'll rope in her talents and regain her footing, but she'll need someone to ride herd and force the focus she lacks.