Ronstadt Fans Walk Out Of Livermore Concert

Ronstadt gets audience walkout encore

LIVERMORE - Linda Ronstadt's political message sent close to a hundred concert-goers home early Thursday evening.

What had been a mellow evening at Wente Vineyards, with the crowd even serenading her with "Happy Birthday" at one point, turned into a rush for the exits by some fans angry by her encore tribute to filmmaker Michael Moore.

"She just had to do it," one fan steamed as he headed for the parking lot. "It was good until the end," another yelled to TV crews waiting outside the concert.

"She's getting out of line; it's ridiculous," said Cindy Williams of Livermore, as she left during the last song of the evening.

Ronstadt's encore dedication of the song "Desperado" to Moore, the controversial maker of "Fahrenheit 9/11" who she described Thursday as "a great American patriot," got her booted from a Las Vegas casino Saturday and drew cheers, some boos, and a few "traitor" yells from the Livermore crowd.

The Linda Ronstadt saga continues! This time, less than 100 of a sold-out crowd of 1750 walked out. These people paid $99 to $249 per ticket, and walked out because she dedicated a song to Michael Moore. The people who walked out in Livermore, like those who walked out in Las Vegas, are stupid, ignorant knuckle-draggers. IMHO, of course.

She usually ends her concerts with the song she dedicates to Moore, "Desperado." I thought it was a nice touch that she ended the Livermore concert with "Viva Las Vegas."


[edit on 7/23/2004 by donguillermo]

Are people really so retarded that a song dedication - literally something that takes moments - provokes such 'outrage'!? I just wonder how much of it was for the benefit of the cameras and based on the previous idiotic 'story'.

Have song dedications become so provocative to some now? Is the artist no longer allowed to be anything other than a live juke-box?

How pathetic is that? I don't want that! I don't mind hearing things I don't agree with, in fact I quite like it as it means my views are challenged and I think this rush to exclusde different voices dangerous and itself deeply offensive.

By all means disagree with the sentiments if you do, but to walk out!?

Some folks need a retuning into reality if this is what they really think is something to be getting worked up about.

What happened to free speech? It's not like she was lecturing anyone, was it?

Originally posted by donguillermo


The people who walked out in Livermore, like those who walked out in Las Vegas, are stupid, ignorant knuckle-draggers. IMHO, of course.


[edit on 7/23/2004 by donguillermo]

THAT or they knew they could walk out of a crappy situation when they damned well felt like it, and then did it.

duh! Nice try, but no cigar.



[edit on 7-23-2004 by Valhall]

Valhall, isn't there a rule on ATS about not making long quotes from other posters? Also, when you excise a portion of the quote, aren't you supposed to indicate your excision?

With all those impressive titles, you really should be setting a better example for other posters.

I have requested a "big quote" warn...will probably get one. But is this your response to a valid point?

Absolutely pathetic form...don.

OH LOOK! Since I've never had to go through this procedure before, I didn't realize how FORGIVING the administration of this board can be. Seems they always give you the chance to correct first.

Problem corrected.

Please review this thread:
www.abovetopsecret.com...
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I think I lost 20 points ...WHATEVER!

[edit on 7-23-2004 by Valhall]

At least she wasn't summarily escorted from the property and told not to return like in Vegas, so I suppose we can consider the Livermore concert venue more open-minded than the Aladdin.

Originally posted by sminkeypinkey
Are people really so retarded that a song dedication - literally something that takes moments - provokes such 'outrage'!? I just wonder how much of it was for the benefit of the cameras and based on the previous idiotic 'story'.

The dedication of the song may or may not have been overkill. Nor can it all be simply chalked up to politics. Livermore, CA is in the greater SF Bay Area, not exactly the hot bed of conservatism, and the last time the area voted republican Reagan was in office.

As with the tread I started yesterday on this, is it simply the public 9albeit a minority at this point) is getting sick and tired of being preached to at every oppurtunity because "Im a celeb". Having been to concerts at Wente, the prices quoted in the article are dead on. If I shelled out 250 bucks to see concert, thats is what I want, not listen to a discourse on her Geo-Political views. Yes Yes one song dedication may not be that extreeme but as I said maybe people are getting tired of it.



[edit on 23-7-2004 by FredT]

Originally posted by Valhall
I have requested a "big quote" warn...will probably get one. But is this your response to a valid point?

Absolutely pathetic form...don.

Excuse me. Did you make a valid point? I must have missed that. Let's look at your original post.

THAT or they knew they could walk out of a crappy situation when they damned well felt like it, and then did it.

duh! Nice try, but no cigar.

Sorry, I still don't see a valid point here. I made it clear that it was my opinion that these people were stupid, ignorant knuckle-draggers. These people paid $99 to $249 per ticket to see the concert. The remarks made by some of them tend to show they were aware of the Las Vegas controversy. They paid for the tickets and walked into the concert, knowing that Ronstadt would likely dedicate a song to Michael Moore. Yet they still walked out when the expected happened. That makes them stupid and ignorant in my book. The knuckle-draggers part was added for rhetorical flourish.

I don't see how the fact that they knew they could walk out of a crappy situation invalidates my opinion. Remember, it is my opinion, not a statement of fact.

For that matter, I think anyone who would think this is a crappy situation is stupid and ignorant. Jesus H. Christ, this was a song dedication, not a political sermon. Apparently, Michael Moore has hit a raw nerve with Republicans with Fahrenheit 9/11. The mere mention of his name irritates them so much that they feel impelled to walk out in protest.

Actually, I think this shows a level of brilliance that you obviously don't even possess the ability to catch on to. They paid for a concert which they enjoyed in almost its entirety and walked out on the last song in act of freedom of speech and to show their disdain toward the dedication.

Doesn't get much better than that. Good music and integrity...bring it on!

In other news... (Don't know if it's been posted as of yet.)

Ronstadt To Return To Las Vegas
Linda Ronstadt is set for a speedy return to the casino she was reportedly ejected from last weekend - for a performance with filmmaker Michael Moore. Ronstadt's run of shows at Las Vegas, Nevada's Aladdin complex was brought to a halt on Saturday after she dedicated a song to Moore, the controversial director of Fahrenheit 9/11 - upsetting fans who disagreed with the filmmaker's movie attack on American President George W Bush. Many fans walked out of the show and some ripped down posters in protest. Ronstadt was later escorted from the premises. But, thanks to negotiations between the Recording Artists Coalition and the prospective new owners of the Aladdin Theater, Ronstadt is slated to return to the venue later this year. And she'll be taking Moore with her. In a letter to the Aladdin management, Moore stated his disappointment in the decision to axe Ronstadt's shows and offered to duet with her on "America The Beautiful" if the singer was invited back. He plans to make good on his promise. Planet Hollywood boss Robert Earl, the prospective new owner of the venue, says, "We hope to be approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission to become the new owners of the Aladdin Resort in Las Vegas as early as September 1, 2004. Upon the assumption of ownership, and with a new management team in place, we would like to offer the use of the Theatre of Performing Arts to Linda Ronstadt for a second concert and further to take Michael Moore up on his offer to join her on stage to introduce her and sing a song."

IMDb

Gag the celebrities and you'll soon be gagging the public.
I suppose some of you out there would like to see a comedian without political commentary?

Or do you not class comedians as celebrities?

Originally posted by donguillermo
For that matter, I think anyone who would think this is a crappy situation is stupid and ignorant. Jesus H. Christ, this was a song dedication, not a political sermon. Apparently, Michael Moore has hit a raw nerve with Republicans with Fahrenheit 9/11. The mere mention of his name irritates them so much that they feel impelled to walk out in protest.

As I said before, maybe people are starting to get sick of this. More to the point, if she dedicated the song to Hitler, or say Pol Pot, would the people that walked out be idiots? How do you know that the fans that walked out were Republicans?

Originally posted by Valhall
Actually, I think this shows a level of brilliance that you obviously don't even possess the ability to catch on to. They paid for a concert which they enjoyed in almost its entirety and walked out on the last song in act of freedom of speech and to show their disdain toward the dedication.

Doesn't get much better than that. Good music and integrity...bring it on!

Gee, thanks for insulting my intelligence. I thought that was against ATS rules. Now you are trying to make the case that these stupid, ignorant knuckle-draggers are actually so brilliant that I am not smart enough to appreciate their brilliance. ROTLMAO! As you would say, nice try.

The brilliant protesters actually missed two songs, "Desperado" and "Viva Las Vegas."


[edit on 7/23/2004 by donguillermo]

FredT says

How do you know that the fans that walked out were Republicans?

Because only Republicans would be stupid and ignorant enough to pay that kind of money for a ticket, then walk out because the singer dedicated a song to someone they disliked.

No, seriously. I don't know that they were Republicans. But don't you think it is a pretty good guess?

The political affiliations of those protesting Ronstadt's dedication are not disclosed in any article I have seen.

That aside, I can say that I have never been able to reconcile partisan mudslinging with wisdom.

I know many Democrats and Republicans, and cannot say that their political choices have anything to do with their posture, or any other attribute other than their political opinions.

Namecalling, however vague, is unbecoming. I think you are better than that, Don.

Given the fact that the irked concert-goers were aware of her concert in Vegas and the likelihood that she would make the same dedication in Livermore (as she has done at each of her shows on this tour), I think that this may have been a deliberate stunt by Moore's opposition, in an attempt to influence public sentiment. I think they may have attended the concert specifically so that they could make a scene and create more negative publicity for Ronstadt and Moore.
Of course, I have no way of proving this, so it is just my own impression of things.

I wish there was a way to find out if the protestors bought their tickets long before all the hubbub about her song dedication to Moore, or at the last minute.

I would love to believe that this is not the case, but I know how petty people can be.

One could just as well speculate that Moore's fans are behind the disturbance, as he loves controversy and free publicity.

The true story is almost certainly something more mundane, like actual reaction of a small percentage of Linda Ronstadt fans, most of whom probably do not follow the news much at all (true of most Americans, for what it's worth).

Originally posted by donguillermo
The remarks made by some of them tend to show they were aware of the Las Vegas controversy. They paid for the tickets and walked into the concert, knowing that Ronstadt would likely dedicate a song to Michael Moore. Yet they still walked out when the expected happened. That makes them stupid and ignorant in my book. The knuckle-draggers part was added for rhetorical flourish.

Are you saying that these people bought their tickets within the last week? I don't think so. Most of these people love her for her music and bought the tickets months ago not knowing she would pull this stunt. Knuckle-dragger by the way is a pretty ignorant remark. How many people do you think actually drag their knuckes? I would venture to say that none of them do. I know it was made as rhetoric, but still


[edit on 7-23-2004 by nyarlathotep]

Typical narrow minded americans that would even think of going to a concert with her singing in the first place. Im not surprised. I hear she sucks now anyways.