SITE MOVED

www.irace.net has been updated. You are seeing the old version. Nothing to see here, move along.

Okay, I didn't meet her, because I was too shy. But I was within shouting distance over the course of a few days.

October 2000. I was a producer for JumpCut, a long-dead startup company. We were producing a three day live webcast promoting the Blair Witch II movie, and Poe was there to perform. I think she did "Terrible Thought", "Haunted" and "Control". Watching her rehearse prior to the live event right in front of me (ok, and the rest of the crew) was bar none the highlight of my career on the fringe of showbiz as a webcast producer. She had it all: unbelievable talent, stage presence and appeal, a killer band (including a DJ with a couple of turntables) and really amazing music.

Once we were live, Poe was there to wrap up the third day with a performance. It was weird because between songs, there was an unusual silence, punctuated by some stunted applause from the crew. Here we were in this 10,000 square foot webcast studio filled with crew and the sets of other events we did during the week, but there was no actual audience. Poe fixed the atmosphere instantly. I don't remember what she said, but whatever it was sucked us in and set us all at ease. We were no longer a punchy group of 35 webcast and TV production people, we were her fans, enjoying the climax to an otherwise utterly pointless event. She elevated the webcast to a whole new plane just by being in the same zip code--I can only hope that anybody out there in cyberland actally saw it.

Afterwards, there was the inevitable photo op--Artisan had to make sure Poe posed for some professional mugshots they'd use as part of the press supporting the movie. One or two of my colleagues asked her to take a picture with them, and she obliged without hesitation, striking those Poe poses that make you want to melt. I was right there and didn't step in with the same request, because I was too much of a grownup or something. Oh well.

My oldest son was 2 at the time, and I introduced him to "Spanish Doll" after running out to buy "Haunted" when the webcast was over. It's still one of his (and my) favories. If I had access to Poe today, I'd want to tell her that "Haunted" still strikes me as one of the best albums ever, from any artist. Incredibly produced, not to mention inspired, heartfelt, beautiful, touching, genuine, sexy and powerful. And I'd tell her that I hope she is leading a truly happy and satisfying life. And that I hope part of that involves releasing more of the music that's in there. Like all Poe fans, I'm starving for more.

And I'd tell her that it was really incredibly nice almost meeting her in October, 2000.

I posted this note on Poe's fan board too.

http://www.p-o-e.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=001193

Posted by: spblat on July 29, 2003 08:39 AM