The 46664 Concert

I was so excited to watch the recording of the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday concert with my kids. Held over the weekend in Hyde Park, London, we just couldn't jet over for the show. We already had plans and our private jet was in the shop for repairs.

The newspaper coverage specifically mentioned that Annie Lenox, Peter Gabriel and Johnny Clegg were performing. So with much excitement we sat down on the sofa Tuesday night to watch the 90 minutes version on VH1.

There was no Johnny Clegg. Perhaps one of the most famous South African musical performers. Ok VH1 is culturally insensitive.

There was no Peter Gabriel. The man only wrote and performed Biko since 1980 in honor of 30-year-old anti-apartheid activist Steven Biko who was murdered by police while in custody. Ok. VH1 is historically ignorant.

There was no Annie Lennox. Annie Lennox is Annie Lennox. Now VH1 is f-ing clueless.

And there is no good footage of her speaking or performing at the concert. Please bear with the sound being a bit off from the footage I could find on YouTube. Her words and the children's performance should have been seen in the United States. The concrete story of a little girl with HIV regaining some health after only five months of simple treatment including medicine, food and nurturing care should have been heard. It makes real the difference our donations can make in the lives of people.

Instead we got three songs with Amy Whinehouse, including her butchering the 1984 protest song Free Nelson Mandela. This led the boys to keep asking me why she was even in the concert, what was wrong with her and that she couldn't sing. I could not have agreed more.

Annie, however, even with footage that is out of synch, is simply stellar.