Concert date: 8/01/99 San Francisco, CA

Review of the show:
It started out a perfect day. I's just used my CDR drive to make my own Whitney Houston's Greatest Hits CD. It was 80+ degrees for the first time in weeks. It would be perfect for the concert since it was outside. Everything was going cool. I'd shaved my head and trimmed my goatee and looked better than I had in a while. I was going all out for this cause not only was it another chance to see Whitney, but also a chance for my niece to see her first concert. What a performer to see in your first concert.

My niece and I hung out all day and then went to this mexican restaurant to eat. Then we made our way to the Concord Pavillion cause I'd never been there before and wasn't really sure how to get there...there was NO WAY I was gonna be late. Easily found parking...easily found our seats. It was about 45 to showtime and we were looking at our tour books and t-shirts.

She asked me if I've liked Whitney my whole life. I told her that Whitney hasn't been out there for the 27 years I've been alive, but I've liked her pretty much since the beginning. When I heard "You Give Good Love" I thought she was cool...when I heard "Saving All My Love For You" I thought she was better...when I heard "How Will I Know" I hated it (I wasn't into fast songs)...but when I heard "All At Once" I fell in love just like that...all at once. I didn't even know it was the same person. I heard it at school in choir class and went straight home to see if we had the album that it was on. Then I noticed that it was the same woman who'd sang the songs I mentioned earlier and my love affair with Whitney Houston began.

I told her that every one of her albums has a song that stands out to me and touches my heart for whatever reason. On the first album it was "All At Once"...second album it was "Didn't We Almost Have It All"...third was "All The Man That I Need"... Bodyguard was "I Have Nothing"...Whating to Exhale was "Why Does It Hurt So Bad"...Preacher's Wife was "I Love The Lord"...and this album's significant song is "I Learned From The Best".

I'd just concluded my little story 10 minutes to showtime when I heard "Can I have your attention please..." As soon as I heard that little bit I grabbed my jacket and my niece's hand and started to leave. I've follow this tour close to know that what was coming next was "Due to illness to Ms. Houston, tonight's show has been cancelled." As I left (fuming) I noticed people still sitting in their seats in disbelief...I think they all thought it was a joke. When I heard people saying stuff like, "Yeah, she's a diva alright...cause only a diva would pull some shit like this." (That was a good one.)

I go to the souvenir stand and they tell me that there are no refunds on the stuff I bought. As big a fan as I am (and I AM a BIG fan) did they really think I was gonna wanna keep memorabilia from a show I never saw? But no amount of arguing (by me or any of the people ahead of and behind me) was going to get our money back...So she may not get the ticket money (cause we get those refunded) but she still gets paid from the overpriced t-shirts and no one would have bought if we'd known there was not going to be a show. They just don't mean the same when you're pissed, ya know what I mean?

So we finally get to the car and sit in a HUGE bottleneck in the parking lot as everyone was trying to leave at the same time and of course emotions were running high because of what we'd just experienced. First thing I do from my cell phone is call BASSTICKETS to find out how I'd going about getting my money back for the tickets...Trying my best to look and sound calm though I must admit that if I'd had a rock when the announcer came on I'd have thrown it at the stage. To top it all off, EVERYONE who knows me knows how I feel about her so I've had to answer all kinds of question regarding what happened and what did people do and what did they say and was she even there and how do I feel (you get the gist). Ever since that moment the immortal words of South Park's Mr. Hat echo through my brain (from the Kathy Lee Gifford episode), "The Bitch Must Die!!"

Don't get me wrong, I still love Whitney and I'll still support her and I'll still buy her cds and defend her to all my friends (who are laughing and dancin a jig right now)...but will I ever try to see her in concert again? NO! Realistically, at her age and with the problems she's had vocally, she probably won't tour anymore after this one anyway. And if she does it'll just be worse than this anyway cause she'll have smoked more cigarettes and she'll be older. It's already like throwing darts after being blind folded and spun around...You just don't know WHAT's gonna happen when Whitney's in concert. I'll just wait for another HBO special or something...at least it's free.

The funny thing is, I'd always said that I'd prefer that she cancel than sing crappily and give a bad show (ala Classic Whitney)...I guess I just figured I'd find out hours earlier before I even left the house...didn't think I'd be in my seat 10 minutes to show time...

Thanks for all the reviews of the other concerts...it was ALMOST like being there...