RobotChicken at HilaryFan
FIRST, THE BAD STUFF:
Good grief, but this was SUCH a disappointment.
But I don't blame Hilary and her band. For all I know, they probably did a great show. But because the acoustics in Reliant Stadium are SO FREAKIN' LOUSY, I guess I'll never know.
It's possible it may have simply been because of where I was sitting (the freakin' 5th row), but I truly doubt it. I started to get worried before the concert started, due to this ridiculous echo that made every single word the rodeo announcers said all but unintelligible, but yeah, it only got worse.
Everything the band played was more or less reduced to mud; everything in the low to mid range was a dull rumble, and everything else on top of it (including Hil and her back up singers' vocals, the keyboards, and any guitar solo) was pretty much indistinguishable in the mix. Everything Hil said between songs was indecipherable, and it even sounded at times like someone turned a jet engine on somewhere in the stadium, it was that bad.
It was truly frustrating, because Hil sang a lot of my favorite songs, especially from her self titled cd. It was like she would go into a song I loved, which would then be systematically destroyed by the top notch work done by her sound crew (yes, I'm being sarcastic here).
I don't know if there was anything Hil's sound crew could have even done about the acoustics, but they still receive a freakin' F-minus as far as I'm concerned. Yes, I've witnessed horrible concerts before in similar places (Pink Floyd in the Astrodome rates 2nd, just behind the ridiculous mess I heard last Thursday at the Rodeo), but then again U2's concert I saw in the Astrodome sounded perfect. So yeah, I think something could have been done about the piss-poor sound situation at Reliant Stadium.
As for the question of whether or not Hil sings live, yes, she most definitely does. This was painfully apparent when she sang her high notes at the end of Shine, which were waaaaaay off and woefully out of tune. Then again, I doubt she could even hear herself if the mix on the stage came anywhere close to what I was hearing.
Then there was the stage layout and the seating arrangements. First, the seating arrangements. I was in the 5th row, yet at least 150 freakin' feet from the stage! wtf??? There was one section (I believe the tickets cost something like $300) that allowed you to sit on the field closer to the stage, but they still looked to be at least 50 feet from the stage.
And then there was the stage itself: small and round, they towed the thing out into the middle of the stadium, where it slowly rotated. In theory that sounds like a good idea, the only problem was that the stage had a freakin' backdrop! So - you guessed it - when the front of the stage rotated away from you, you basically couldn't see the band.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Also, the sound got even worse as this happened, and with the front of the stage facing in the opposite direction, it almost sounded like you were sitting in another room and listening to the concert through a wall.
Again...Stupid, stupid, stupid.
So ... is there anything positive I could say? Well, yeah:
NOW, THE GOOD STUFF:
1) Being in the same building with Hil. Yep, although the sound was crapola, it was still pretty cool seeing the Duff in person.
2) Hil is a great entertainer. She generates a lot of energy onstage, and her personality really shines through. You can also tell she truly enjoys performing, and it was fun seeing her bounce around the stage and give 100%. There was one moment where Hil placed one foot on the top of a ramp that led down from the stage, and nearly lost her balance and fell down after her foot slipped. But she quickly recovered in time and kept going as if nothing happened, giving a embarrassed smile which was to die for - cute, cute, cute.
3) Hil looked gorgeous, and it was definitely worth the price of admission just to see her. She wore a black tank top, black shorts, and black boots, and looked deadly.
4) Before the rodeo began (and most of the people arrived) Hil rode in a parade with all the rodeo participants, which was pretty cool. She sat in a horse drawn carriage which slowly circled the field and took her within a few feet of the first row seats, which was the closest she actually got to the fans. I waved but I don't think she saw me.
5) Hil's dancers. I thought they were stupid and unnecessary at first, but after a while I got used to them. I especially liked this goofy little dance they did where they were lined up behind a Hil, and she danced along with them, which made it very cute. I think it may have been during Do you Want Me?, but I'm not sure.
6) Hil's exit was classic. She climbed onto the back of a convertible which took her out of the stadium. Pretty cool.
7) We got free food and drinks where I was sitting.
SO, IN SUMMARY:
For the love of Pete, next time you come to Houston, Hil, PLEASE PERFORM SOMEWHERE ELSE! Anywhere else!!! There are plenty of perfectly good venues you could play in Houston, and even if they don't seat 70,000, you could still play two or three shows and sell out every one. It may be a thrill selling out the rodeo two years in a row, but pleeeeease do your fans a favor and reconsider for next year. Otherwise, I'll be forced to travel to another city to experience your concert the way it should be, which would really be a pain.
