Sara* emails: Danielle Berrin MC Idan Raichel in Los Angeles last night:
Organized at the valley JCC by MATI (Israeli organization) $60. a
couple (2 tickets) including a CD. The price of a single ticket: $40, for not sitting in a theater. This should have forewarned me… But did I listen??? NO!
When my friend called to have a girls night out (Her husband had a
surgery to perform) and I accepted. Tickets were sold at an open table
with people hanging around. I said that WE ARE A COUPLE. and got in
for a M’tziah price of only $60. The Israelis around acted very
nice…my friend almost died from laughter.
Needless to say it didn’t start on time. A given, for any Israeli event.
Eventually the rows of folding chairs filled with about 400 people,
among them 1 Non Hebrew speaker.
The Program:
After talking about MATI’s work and conveniently forgetting to mention
their squabbling that caused at the last minute the cancellation of The
Israel Yom Haatzmaut Festival at Woodley Park…)
Next the MC was called up: Danielle Berrin, blogger and a writer at the
Jewish Journal. Pretty, slander woman. She tells us she will ????????
interview Idan Raichel! ????In English!???? I guess she must be the 1
non speaking Hebrew person there… It makes the interviewing process
difficult and the artist had to get some help translating some words to
English.In a way it was very cute and made us feel Haimish and
informal.
BUT I thought we came to an Idan Raichel performance!
On “stage” was a piano, 2 folding chairs and 2 hand held microphones
with the noise that comes with it. I decided to give it a chance and
roll with it, till… Ms. Berrin starts chattering.
My friend, (A polite Jewish American writer, mother of 3 speaks Hebrew
fluently) turned to me in horror, whispering: “What is THIS???”
Danielle kept going. Idan joins her. Her questions were inappropriate (Your parents want you to marry?Comments about his hair, on and on. Embarrassingly shallow and stupid. With lot’s of “I”s in every sentence.
Her mannerism too flirty and if this was not enough…she kept interrupting him, paying no mind to the conversation about “The Project” considered by all as his lifework and a Masterpiece:
* Idan Raichel recorded 80 hand picked artists. He records the artist
first (at his parents home in the basement) later decides how to accompany them with the most effective way to promote their talent. This is a major Anthropological as well as Artistic project, preserving unique cultural talent from Ethiopia, Yemen, Israel… all corners of the world.
Problem:
Ms. Berrin impatiently, kept interrupted this gentle artist barely
allowing him to finish a sentence.Before you know and with signals from some Fat Lady… there is always one…Danielle announced that the event Is over. All this, while Idan Invited the audience to ask questions and was ready to illustrate how he composes. The audience was totally shocked.
Someone called out: “Why Is it over? He wants to perform and we want
to listen!” followed by cheers from the audience. At this point she
left the stage. Idan finished the song and that was it. In total: 5 songs for the entire evening. It comes to $6 a song, her mindless chattering for free.
Happy Ending??? You wish…!
He did sign the CD while a lady named Orna, from MATI Center, with a
Kindergarten teacher, sour expression on her face, stood by him,
holding him by his Baytzim, listening and rushing everyone…
S o r r y!!! I did mean to…
Sorry for coming,
Sorry for wasting money, gas, time and a long Shlep from the city to
JCC.
Sorry, I know now Danielle Berrin, I liked her at first till she
started speaking…
Sorry MATI being unprofessional, pertinacious balloon full of air who
needs to get their act together….
and Mostly Sorry for:
An Artist in such stature as Idan Raichel. He just came back from a
tour with India Ari. He is an amazing international artist. So sweet, humble and gifted!!!
