While they didn't do Dave's new song "Love Jungle" tonight, it was every bit a Love Feast. The band was on fire all night long, The SRO crowd was into it from the opening bars ("Just Kidding," into the Earth, Wind, & Fire Medley for openers) to the last note. Very cool.
Thank you all for coming. Great house tonight.Below, back in the dressing room prior to the show, a bit of vocal rehearsing. That in itself is so worth witnessing. To hear these cats sing, just in the raw, is a thrilling and humbling experience.
More shots from the evening...First, Tyriq. He had to do a 2nd "Legends" show tonight, and didn't get to the gig 'til late. Smoked it once he got onstage though.
More random pics...
Rochon took a last-tune ("System of Survival") bass ride that was way over the top. Wow. The cat is unreal, man...
Jerry Merra (above) and Nathan (a few shots down) both came out front for solos on "Wishing Well." Love the snazzy shirt and flip-flops, Jerry.Below, Jamie did his awesome original "This Time."
""Ev'rybody in the house, let me hear ya say 'YEAH!!!'"
Below, I focused on Jerry a lot tonight. Maybe it was the opportunity provided by the light shirt, LOL (helps with autofocus, big-time).
Above, Jerry's ride in Jamie's "This Time." Very cool.
A great evening. Again, thanks to all of you who showed up!_____
TRINA JOHNSON-FINN UPDATE
The offshore news headlines are calling her "The Phony Toni" (you can Google it and do a YouTube search of the phrase and find numerous items about the case). The judge in Suriname has refused to release her, and she is now to remain in custody pending a "fraud" trial, absent some effective diplomatic action that gets her out. If convicted, she could get 3 years.
R-J columnist John L. Smith has an article in today's paper about the situation, in which he adds to the sarcastic, inflammatory language:
"Somewhere in the Republic of Suriname, a joker is masquerading as a judge.
In what passes for a police department in Paramaribo, the Dutch-speaking capital of the tiny South American nation, someone is playing detective while Las Vegan Trina Johnson-Finn squats in a jail cell...
...The confused Johnson-Finn, who makes her living as a singing impersonator but had never gone on stage as a faux Braxton, was taken into custody and locked behind bars.
Not that it's impressed the judge or caused the local coppers to break a sweat, Finn says, but the concert's promoter has gone on the lam with concert proceeds estimated at $300,000..."
__
Maybe Mr. Smith should stick to bloviating, and on topics that aren't gonna throw more fuel on these flames. His chops as a Keyboard Commando Gumshoe Investigative Reporter appear to be pretty weak. It takes about 2 seconds of math to realize that 1,500 paying fans divided into "$300,000" comes to an average of $200 a ticket -- in a country whose per capita GDP is about 19% of ours. Right. It then takes about 10 seconds more on Google to learn that the ticket prices for this show were $20 and $25 USD, with "VIP Package" tickets at $55 USD. So, this Angel Ventura "promoter" creep probably made off with more like $40-$50k or so. Not chump change, but not 300 grand either.
Sad story, this is. I hope they can get her out.
13 comments:
I AM ABSOLUTELY PISSED OF. THE GIRL TRIED TO RIP PEOPLE OFF, AND SHE IS SEEN AS THE VICTIM. WHY DON'T PEOPLE WRITE ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE CAME ON TV, ACTING LIKE SHE WAS TONI BRAXTON'S MANAGER THE DAY BEFORE. SHE CLEARLY SAID ON TV...." TONI IS LOOKING FORWARD TO GIVING YOU GUYS AN INCREDIBLE CONCERT, BUT CAN NOT GIVE ANY INTERVIEWS AT THE MOMENT!!!
PHONY TONI KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING!!! IS IT BECAUSE THIS IS A SMALL COUNTRY, THEY DON'T HAVE JUSTICE???
TONI BRAXTON HEARD ABOUT IT, TWO HOURS BEFORE PHONY WAS SUPPOSED TO GET ON THAT STAGE, AND WAS FURIOUS THAT SHE WAS PROMOTED AS DOING A CONCERT IN SURINAME, WHEN SHE WAS NOT!!!
THE PROBLEM WITH PHONY TONI WAS, THAT IT IS ON TAPE THAT SHE ACTED LIKE TONI'S MANAGER THE DAY BEFORE.
SHE WAS GONNA ACT LIKE SHE WAS GONNA FALL AND BE HURT AFTER THE SECOND SONG, BUT PEOPLE ALLREADY SAW THE FAKE TONI.
THE PROMOTOR IS NOT, AND I REPEAT NOTTTTT FROM SURINAME. HE IS AMERICAN!!!!!!!
THEY WORKED TOGETHER, AND IT WENT WRONGGGGG!! NOW THEY ACT LIKE THE POOR INNOCENT PEOPLE BEING TRICKET, AND IT PISSES ME OFF. HOW ABOUT THE CONCERT GOERS, WHO BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE GONNA GO SEE TONI BRAXTON???
TONI HERSELF IS MAD AS HELL, BECAUSE SOMEONE TOLD HER BEFORE HAND!!!
OK, ""Anonymous," can you provide a link to the alleged taped interview? Things caught on camera typically show up on YouTube before the sun sets on day one, particularly where there's controversy. I have searched far and wide and cannot find it. The interview, if it shows what you allege, would seal the deal, providing evidence minimally of Mrs. Johnson-Finn's complicity in the scam. If it exists as you describe, she is in fact screwed, but, I've looked rather deeply into this whole episode and a lot/most of what I see is people like you SHOUTING ANGRILY IN ALL CAPS about stuff regarding which they have no first-hand knowledge. Take a valium, turn your Caps Lock key off, and tell us what you documentably -- documentably -- know/personally witnessed about this case.
When I post blog comments on the interent, I am always personally accountable for what I say, I never hide behind a fake screen name or the even more dubious and lazy "Anonymous."
This whole situation is pathetic. Trina is a VICTIM of a 3rd world toilet that is corrupt and vindictive. She should be released immediately and allowed to return to the USA. There is overwhelming evidence in her defence and as Bobby stated there is no evidence of this alleged TV interview. The US government should get her out now before she is subjected to more of this injust regimes web of deceit and lies. I have worked with Trina and i hope to do so again soon in the USA "Anonymous" you should stay just that as you have nothing to say worth listening too. Trina is a lady of class, integrity and talent. These are all attributes which are clearly lacking in you.
I'm not sure what to take of this anonymous note other than it's all very troubling. All of us in our industry have had troubles with clients trying to pass us off as the real thing...sometimes in teh middle of an event. It would be difficult to have to explain in every sentence when mentioning our character a disclaimer that we are "not the person in fact". That's lame. Often people will call us by our character. Let alone know how people percieve us as we are in or out of their presence. I know many of us have been passed off as the real thing...and I ask, what to do? Discernment and diplomacy is important thereafter. Is Suriname's government and people justified in their harsh actions against Trina, even if it has been a misunderstanding, let alone a perspective of a bait and switch none done by Trina? That was not her intent. None of us in our industry do this without any subjection on the part of the peers and agencies. Let's support her situation, pray for understanding, strength, wisdom, fairness and clarity. Naysayers please have your facts. The rest of us are working on bettering her situation and making sure this doesn't happen to any of us. Thank you, Pavel aka "Bono"
Interesting to hear a counterpoint by some 'anonymous' claiming to be Surinamese, yet speaking for both the real Toni (how?) and for the thieving promoter (you know he's American? how?). Regardless of any televised clip, taken out of context (if Trina said that she surely thought she was still talking to the 'birthday' party she was hired for), the facts remain that 1.Trina didn't steal any money nor advertise herself as Toni, and 2.the crook that betrayed the public and stole the $$ is still at large and not even being sought by Surinamese officials. No one questioned, detained, or arrested - save Trina. Why? Can you say 'corrupt' in Anonymous-ese?
What is being done to Trina Johnson-Finn is an absolute travesty! The "anonymous" poster above is just spreading more lies and rumors about Trina. Maybe "anonymous" is the corrupt promoter who scammed Rob Garrett, Trina and the country of Suriname? I would not be surprised if that were the case.
To think that you can be hired to do a celebrity impersonation job and then you travel to a far away land and do that job to the best of your ability and then you get arrested and locked up in some horrendous jail with no signs of release just blows my mind. Generally speaking, performing in other countries has always been very good to me. However, Trina is definitely experiencing the "worse-case" nightmare scenario right now. Bless her heart.
To anyone out there that thinks Trina is to blame for this, you have no idea how our industry works. Trina didn't do anything different than I have done on many occasions. What she did was not a crime and this is why the rest of us in this business feel so strongly for her.
It's because we have all been there and done exactly what she did. To think that an impersonation job would land you in jail in a foreign country is just too much to bear.
I feel like getting a machine gun and doing a Rambo on the country of Suriname.
I'm serious.
Are there any rational people living in that country at all?
Signed,
Vince Gibbs
Professional Prince Impersonator
I have a good friend in Suriname who knows some of the people involved. He had believed in the slanted press put out by Suriname. But, after he saw the actual facts presented to him in the form of all the e-mails and communications from Trina Johnson's agent, he totally understood that she was conned. He even has information about Ventura having done a similar scam before.
The Suriname government is not the enemy. Trina Johnson is not the enemy. BOTH of them were conned. When that is made clear, I have faith that all will be handled properly by the Suriname government. My friend in Suriname is one of the best people I've ever known.
Don't even give any energy to someone like "Anonymous," who speaks under a hidden alias from an obvious viewpoint of nothing more than hate and rumor. People like that look ONLY for opportunities to stir up trouble.
So, please don't give him/her/it another thought and he/she/it will crawl back under his/her/its rock with the other uneducated trouble-makers.
Heidi
To my knowledge, there are very few people in the States that have actually seen the "interview". Since I happen to be one of those who has, allow me to interject with one additional (and crucial) bit of information that Raymond neglected to mention and that I feel, needs to be mentioned...
The entire "interview" is just over 4 minutes long. At approx. 1 minute and 13 seconds into the "interview" Trina, while talking about the "event" (she uses that word once), shakes her finger directly at the camera and says "You definitely have to show up at this PARTY". Now, I do not think one has to be a video analyst or expert to agree that if someone were promoting a CONCERT, they would not use the word "PARTY" - at least NOT IN THAT CONTEXT. They would say "You definitely have to show up to the concert" OR "to the show". The fact that Trina uses the word "PARTY" absolutely signifies that, in her mind, while she is doing this unexpected interview, she still believes that she is promoting a private "PARTY" event (which is what the client contracted this as), and NOT a concert that, unbeknownst to her, the locals have purchased tickets for, expecting to see the real Toni Braxton.
Allow me another MATLOCK moment directed at the ''anonymous'' emailer that Greg Miller responded (appropriately) to...
It is ABSURD to think that Trina, for one second, would think that she could get away with passing herself off to (approx.) 1500 people who are obviously fans of the real star. Let's give this some thought... I think we all can agree that there are very few impersonators in this industry who can viewed upon as "DEAD RINGERS" (and I happen to know ALL of those who are). Now given that, let's just single out the musical 'dead ringers' - particularly the one's who sing. How many of those 'dead ringers' look and sound EXACTLY like their counterparts? In EVERY case, if the tribute act is a physical double for the celebrity, it's a sure bet that the vocal ability will lack some type of 'dead ringer' quality and vice-versa if their vocal quaility happens to be dead on.
The fact is, and I am open to being cross examined, not even ONE of those 'Dead Ringers', unless they were completely dillusional, thinks for one second, that they could walk out onto a stage and sing 12 songs (approx. 45-minutes worth) in front of 1500+ fans of the real star and fool them. There is not one person in this business that could do that - NOT ONE!! Even the closest looking/sounding impersonator MIGHT (and I'm allowing the benefit of the doubt here) be able to get away with one or two songs if the lighting was low and the crowd was far away. However, 12 songs?? NO WAY could an individual stay on stage that long without someone seeing or hearing them and not being able to tell the difference - let alone a woman whose look was a reasonable facsimile at best and admittedly agreed (and joked) with me that she was "NO PHYSICAL DEAD RINGER".
Here's the thing... the above rationalization would make perfect sense to ANYONE in North America or even Europe. However, trying to relay that defense to a group of people in a third world country who are either fueled by anger or questionable (to say the least) political motives , is a whole different story. I rest my case.
ROB GARRETT
Here's the Interview with Trina:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOQW0UpnIM0
The people of Suriname,are not your everyday third world people. We are well aware of the world around us,so when Mr Garret implies that we are some kind of idiots when he says quote:Here's the thing... the above rationalization would make perfect sense to ANYONE in North America or even Europe. However, trying to relay that defense to a group of people in a third world country who are either fueled by anger or questionable (to say the least) political motives , is a whole different story. I rest my case.
ROB GARRETT end of quote. People in Third world countries are just like you Mr Garret just people,and I am sure that if the people in the US were fooled: remember"Milli Vanilli?? it would be nearly a revolution.And Eurepeans are no
better: Riots just for fun VANDALISM etc...Your President Obama was right you people are totally OUT OF TOUCH and think that you can make or break where you go. Listen to the interview and be honest.I really feel sorry for Trina so I hope she'll get out of jail soon.But don't just talk bad about a Country you don't know anything about. The individual who said that Suriname is a Third World toilet I would ask if he has EVER been to Suriname and knows the people. Why such rude words?
Anyway,I posted the interview on my blog,and asked my subscribers THEIR opinion OOPS: My blog is in Dutch so use a translator if you want to know what I wrote I am so used to the fact that we Surinamese are multilingual,and speak at least 3 languages fluently, and English is not one of them:)Here's the link to my blog,with the interview of Trina,I hope you will post this one:
http://surisra.wordpress.com/
KEEP THIS PUTA IN JAIL!!
It is good that they locked her up!We from Suriname are hard working people and should not get ripped off like that,to tell you the truth she needs to rot here in jail.I am a surinamer and i feel badly insulted in her that she was a fake!
Boney M and Milli Vanelli fooled a lot of people in the US and Europe, but to stick to the case at hand. Fact of the matter is there was a scam, which is against the law in Suriname and someone or some people have to pay the prize. I don’t think this is something, which will be solved on the internet or be putting pressure on the authorities. If Trina Johnson is guilty she will have to face the consequences. To people who think she is innocence I will suggest, to advice her lawyer in this matter.
Baby face
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