Tom Says: “Fred, I hope you’re right on this one…”
As I sit in front of my computer with my fingers speeding across the keyboard, I am really conflicted…
I hope — with every fibre in my oversized body — that the Halifax Commons is packed tighter than a sardine can on August 23rd, 2008 when Celine Dion takes the stage.
I’ve known Fred MacGillivary for the better part of thirty years. I know him as a bright, committed booster for the City of Halifax, and I hope that he and all the members of his committee are backing the right horse.
Try as I might to put a positive spin on Celine in an open air concert on the Halifax Commons — I keep getting these negative vibes. I think I know what the average person looks like who went to last year’s Rolling Stones concert, an Aerosmith concert, The Police, or an AC-DC concert. But I’m not sure I have any idea what a person who would go to the Celine Dion concert looks like.
In saying this — I know I’m generalizing, but I’m not sure Celine Dion fans will pay the kind of money organizers are looking for to see Ms. Dion at such a large outdoor venue.
You can argue that Simon and Garfunkel drew tens-of-thousands to their outdoor concert at New York’s Central Park, but remember — that was Simon and Garfunkel.
There is no question Ms. Dion has been a huge success in her specially constructed concert venue in Las Vegas. Tickets there are almost impossible to come across. But would those who would go see her in Vegas indoors in a climate controlled theatre on soft cushy chairs park their butts in the commons to listen to her sing?
Halifax is to be congratulated for it’s ongoing attempts to bring world-class talent to concert-goers from all three Maritime provinces.
I hope that on August 24th, 2008 we won’t all be able to look back to this little blog and say: “You know something? — He was right.”
On this one I want to be dead wrong.
I’m Tom Young.