Madonna Causes a Commotion @ Ween
New York City’s Central Park was a busy place this past Friday night as Ween was set to perform at SummerStage while the Madonna-directed WE was being filmed right outside the venue. As you can imagine, a concert creates lots of noise which would be disruptive to filming. The film’s producers worked with the concert’s production team in an effort to keep the noise down in the afternoon hours, but when Ween needed to soundcheck even Madonna herself couldn’t keep the band from preparing for their show.
[via Aaron "Gene Ween" Freeman's Facebook]
We spoke with SummerStage production manager Danny Owen about the chain of events that led to Madge’s appearance at Ween’s soundcheck and it started in the early afternoon hours when the film and concert production teams realized the area had been double booked. WE’s production team approached venue staff when they started to test the PA and the SummerStage staffers agreed to keep the noise to a minimum until Ween soundchecked at 5PM. 5PM rolled around and the film’s producers asked for more time, but with doors set to open at 6:30, there wasn’t much wiggle room since the band needed to get comfortable with the sound at the outdoor venue.
Owen, whose main concern was making sure the band was given the time they needed, told the film’s producer that the band was indeed going to start soundchecking. At this point, the members of Ween were on stage and waiting around for word to start the check. Madonna must’ve gotten wind of the situation as at approximately 5:15PM she entered the concert field with her security entourage and asked Owen if she could speak to the band. Danny responded, “with all due respect, no you may not” leading Madonna to ask to speak to a manager at which point Ween’s manager, Greg Frey, entered the fray.
READ ON for more on Madonna and Ween as well as the setlist, audio and video from last Friday night’s Ween show at Central Park…
The pop icon bought a few minutes during her conversation with Frey as soundcheck was delayed until approximately 5:30, but we’re glad to see that even Madonna can’t keep Ween from taking care of business. Sadly, it seems Madge and her unhip team didn’t even know who Ween was. Ween went on close to 7:30PM and played one fantastic, extremely long set followed by a three-song encore. Here’s the setlist…
Buckingham Green, She Wanted To Leave, Bananas & Blow, Learnin’ to Love, Transdermal Celebration, Up On The Hill, Take Me Away, Dont’ Get 2 Close (2 My Fantasy), Even If You Don’t, Push The Little Daisies, Sorry Charlie, Voodoo Lady, Happy Colored Marbles, Stallion pt. 3, Ice Castles, Final Alarm, With My Own Bare Hands, Your Party, Let’s Dance, Touch My Tooter, You Fucked Up, Stroker Ace, Wavin’ My Dick In the Wind, Fancy Pants, Going Gets Tough, Waynes Pet Youngin’, Jonny On th’ spot, The Mollusk, Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down), Roses Are Free
Encore: Fiesta, Mr. Richard Smoker, Dr. Rock
Registered users of the Brown Tracker can download the show here.
Our pal Sunil shot most of the show. Take a look at his vids…
Ween – Your Party
Ween – Roses Are Free
Ween – Touch My Tooter
Ween – Let’s Dance
Ween – My Own Bare Hands
Ween – Stroker Ace
Ween – Mister Would You Please Help My Pony
Ween – Going Gets Tough
Ween – Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)
Scott Bernstein
Scott Bernstein co-founded Hidden Track in October 2006 and was managing editor until taking over as EiC in January 2008. Scotty also writes for Relix Magazine and curates YEMblog.com.
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Hmm… Madonna actually run off by herself to the band (her security had trouble following her) and took care of it instantly. Within 15 minutes she returned to her filmset and continued with her work.
Here’s the other side of the story: (in full, written by a person who happened to have witnessed this)
“Just got home from watching Madonna film W.E. in Central Park & I’ve got a great story to tell. So they were filming…as usual, the same scene over & over again. Then all of a sudden, in the middle of a take, we hear loud music coming from the open air stage behind us. Apparently, there was going to be a concert in the park later at night and the band was rehearsing. I whispered to my friend…”Oh dear, she’s gonna be pissed with all that noise”. Moments after I said that, all of a sudden, Madonna was right in front of us looking pissed and said “Let’s go”. She started walking very fast which turned into a sprint, running uphill towards the stage. Her bodyguards were caught by surprise and were scrambling to catch up with her. A bunch of people started running, following her & without really knowing what was happening, my friend & I started running as well. We then realized she was going towards the stage where the band was rehearsing. The entrance to the back of the stage was cordonned off with security & no one could enter. But Madonna came so fast & she’s so tiny, she just went past them. A few seconds later, her bodyguards followed but the security stopped them not knowing what was going on. After a few seconds of explaining, they were let through but by this time Madonna was already on top of the hill turning towards the stage. We lost sight of her at this time as there’s a big wall covering the stage but she was there for a few minutes and then all of sudden, we see her sprinting down the hill with her burly bodyguards struggling to keep up. She runs back to where the filming was going on and takes her place near the cameraman & calmly resumed filming as if nothing happened. It was so funny because she must have told that band to STFU cuz we didn’t hear a peep from them again until they wrapped up the shoot about 2 hours later. I tell you, it was a SCENE. Our girl is a no nonesense bitch. She didn’t send anyone to tell those guys to STFU, she went herself & took care of business herself. All in all, it just took 15 minutes of her time when it could have taken much longer had she just sent someone else. No messin’ around with our girl.
Anyway, it looks like it may have really been the last day of filming cuz when they finished the last take, they all gathered around Madonna & it seemed like she gave a little speech & there was clapping & cheering from the crew.
As for the scene they were filming, it involved the two main actresses, Abbie Cornish & the actress playing Wallis Simpson. I can only think it might be a dream sequence cuz these two characters lived in completely different eras so couldn’t possiblly have actually met. The scene had the two actresses talking while sitting in a park bench…Abby hands the other actress a pair of white gloves, they both stand and walk in opposite directions. There were also a lot of filming of extras in the park…bikers, joggers, etc. ”
And there you have it..
Fuck Madona. What does she own the Park??
SUNIL! You are so rad. Nice videos.
How funny how their story contradicts with what actually happened. Madonna didn’t get a few minutes, Ween actually were quiet until she finished filming. It’s not her fault, nor theirs, that the place was double booked and if she asked nicely and the band appeased, what’s the big deal? Sure, now they have to pretend to be big boys who battled the bad big pop icon, please.
@wynet – Perhaps you’re talking about earlier in the day, but according to the production manager Madonna tried to get Ween to delay their soundcheck again (they had already moved it from 5 to 5:30) and they gave her seven minutes. They didn’t “keep quiet” until she was done as you claim.
This was the best fucking Ween show I’ve seen in a long time. Gener and Deaner brought it!!!
I also want to set the record straight that I was acknowledged by Gener when I screamed to him backstage and he didn’t even talk to Madonna. That’s pretty damn cool!