Lucy Lawless in Concert

KT and I just got back from seeing Lucy Lawless in concert at the Roxy in LA. I'll try to be all professional and journalisty tomorrow, I swear I will. But for tonight, let me just let my inner fangirl out to squee.

It's been bitterly cold here in LA, and when we first arrived, we joined the other fangirls outside waiting to get in. Teresa from In Sequence recognized me from here... hi, Teresa!... and told us where to get coffee.  Which is good because otherwise I'd most likely have frozen to death.

There were some problems with the sound mix for the first couple of songs, but once they got those worked out, this show was just wonderful. Lucy has an enormous amount of charisma, I mean, buckets of it... she clearly loves her audience, and they love her. Er, WE love her.

There were almost no men present at all - the MC actually welcomed everyone by saying, "Welcome, ladies and ladies." Lucy's affection for her fans was obvious and sincere and boundless, and the audience gave it back big time. There is simply no way to fake the genuine respect and love she has for her fans and they for her. She smiled at one point and said the band and crew really didn't know until that night what her fans were like.

At one point she told a moving story about "The Day of Love," when Xena fans nationwide - possibly worldwide - worked for Habitat for Humanity and other charitable cases in the name of the Xena fandom. She said it made her entire career worthwhile.

Midway through the evening, she went offstage and came back in her famous fringed mini-dress from Celebrity Duets and blew the stage apart with "Tell Mama." And then Renee O'Connor put on a fringed mini-dress of her own and came out and danced while Lucy sang "What'd I Say."

This is where I trot out my journalistic voice and say something to convey that the crowd went wild (which they did). The problem is, I can't do it, because my inner fangirl went so wild I just gave up and let her.  Lucy's rapport with her audience was a thing of beauty, but her chemistry with Renee O'Connor is a joy forever.

Set list:

1. Feeling Good
2. Jump Into My Fire
3. My Favorite Things/Down on My Knees (this is when the sound mix suddenly got fixed)
4. Total Control
5. Maxine
6. Dont Let Me Down (the first true show-stopping moment)
7. Like the Way I Do (channeling her inner Melissa Etheridge in a room full of lesbians)
8. Do You Wanna Dance
9. Cowboy Song
10. Something to Talk About
11. Piece of My Heart (this brought the house down - and not just because of the insertion of the word "Gabrielle" into the lyrics)
12. When Billy Comes Home (original song written and sung by her backup singer Charlotte, more on this later)
13. Tell Mama
14. What'd I Say (with Renee)
15.  I'll Stand by You (dedicated very movingly to her fans)
16. Pull Up to My Bumper
17. Drive My Car

I have to give huge credit to KT for taking so many amazing photos we don't even know which ones to use. We hope you love these! I'll write more tomorrow - and will also liveblog Rob Tapert and Liz Friedman, and then Renee, and then Lucy, and then Lucy and Renee, from the convention tomorrow. Plus, lots more photos.

Comments

[Katharina]

Its unbeliebvable great. I am a german girl and cannot go to this event of the year. Its terrible :-( Lucy is the greatest singer in world I think!!!! I hope my dream come true und I can see Lucy at such a concert once in my lifetime!!!!!!!

Lucy you are unbelievable great, REALLY!

[Fausta88]

Thanks for those too far away to come.

Fausta, from France and waiting for the dvd !

[Julie]

Thanks for this amazing report! :)
I wish I'd be there... I'm from Ukraine and it's impossible :( I love you, Lucy! And wait DVD too!!!

[Flo]

I am so extremely jealous.

[susanne]

Thank you ten thousand times thank you for blogging from the con and for this report from the Roxie - great photos too. Wish I'd been there but I'm on the other side of the world - in Wales, which come to think of it might be another world in itself but that's another story!

[Teresa]

Hey there!

Thanks for the linkage. Fantastic report! Man, wasn't it the best?!

[Barbara]

Thank you for the report.
I really would like to see it now!!

[lucyana moreira]

I am super fan of lucy and renee and would like to agardecer for them to exist and to be these pesoas loved. I passed namely of the existencia of them after the xena. I live in the Brazil, xena not passes more here. I bought all dvds of the xena so pra to kill the homesickness. Cantandom would like tambem to buy cds of lucy here ams in the brazil not

[Teresa P]

I was there. All I can say is, it was magical. I love Lucy as everyone does. I was just blown away with the electricity in the air starting with the line outside through to the end of the concert. My partner and I just sang and danced along to every song as if part of a very lucky, loving community. I was also lucky in that I only live an hour away from the Roxy but after that I may buy a plane ticket if this thing goes down again in NYC. One can only hope, it was that good.

[Kari E]

I saw Lucy live at the Roxy on opening night and she was fantastic! It was the first con I have been able to attend but WOW what a weekend!!! Lucy and Renee are both such beautiful People, fine actresses, and just georgous! I'm so glad I could be there and plan on being there next year!. Lucy, if you are reading this I know I speak for everyone when I say WE LOVE YOU!!! And hope to see you again next year.

Kari

[lucyana moreira]

Lucy I love you. As I would like I am ai in its show. You is a great woman, actress, singer. I love you. Congratulations for its great success! I am Brazilian but every day I enter in its site pra to have information on you

[Judith Winkler]

Hey Lucy, i am from Austria, you so great fantastic. I Love you and Renee so much!!! Weiter so!!!

Du bist die Beste der Welt!!!

lg ~Xena~ alias Judith

[kassiana]

eu gosto assistir xena lucy e renne