http://www.accessatlanta....id=thbz_hm

Four songs into her show at the Boisfeuillet Jones Civic Center, music diva Patti LaBelle stopped performing Saturday to deliver a blistering attack on the condition of the 40-year-old concert venue.

The remarks came after LaBelle kicked off her pumps and walked across the stage. Expressing her displeasure with the cleanliness of the stage, LaBelle requested a towel to wipe her feet.

“When is someone going to take the time to fix up this theater?” Labelle asked the crowd. “I’ve been coming to this city for 50 years. This isn’t right. You’ve got Mickey mice back there and roaches. I’m a diabetic, and I couldn’t eat back there.”

LaBelle added, with her voice breaking, “I’m up here looking all cute, but I’m suffering inside. You all deserve to be sitting in better seats. I can’t stand this place.”

To make matters worse, Camille Love — the city’s director of cultural affairs and a Labelle fan — was sitting, mortified, in the audience.

On Monday, Dianne Harnell Cohen, the commissioner for the city’s parks, recreation and cultural affairs office was quick to defend the venue and its staff.

“We are baffled by Ms. LaBelle’s comments,” said Cohen. She added that she was contacted by Civic Center staff about the incident Saturday night.

She said when the LaBelle arrived at the venue Saturday, the singer complained about an odor coming from a restroom. Cohen said a cleaning crew was immediately dispatched to clean the area. She also said the singer complained about a burn mark in the carpeting of her dressing room. Cohen said a rug was brought in to cover the area.

“The civic center is not a new building, and no public money is spent to upkeep it,” she said. “All money raised for the venue’s upkeep comes from revenue generated from the shows booked there.”

Cohen added that the mayor’s chief of staff Greg Pridgeon was in the audience Saturday night and went backstage to personally inspect things.

“He didn’t see any sign of uncleanliness,” Cohen said.

Later in the two-hour, sold-out show, Labelle apologized to the crowd “if I said something to offend anyone. Miss Patti went there.”

The crowd cheered in support of her comments.

I was there Saturday night and being that it was my frist time at The Civic Center, I have to agree with Patti. The first thing my friend and I noticed was how old the joint was.It loked like it hasn't been updated snce 1982.

Patti did apologize for her rant and it was more like one of your aunts having a moment, but the show was awesome.

She, Nona and Sarah are some bad chick! Nona climbed the front of the drum kit- we thought se was gonna fall. It was really funk and soul Valentine's night!!
[Edited 2/16/09 20:52pm]

Can't fault Patti for speaking her mind.

GROSS...

I'm glad she spoke up. These city officials should know that you can't keep inviting entertainers to your venue and it is not even clean. If I were in the audience and had something from the concession stand, I would request my money back.

You know how Patti is...she tells it like it is

Please, I'm sure Patti's oversung at worse venues in the last 50 years.

Ew.

I would hate walking barefoot on a dirty floor too.

WillieDynamite said:

That doesn't mean that she have to now,,,,she's a damn legend.

Harlepolis said:

bboy87 said:

Um, what's there to be baffled about? She told them what the situation was. Sure they fixed a couple of things but apparently the place was still filthy. You know if you're being called out in the middle of a performance something is not right.

JackieBlue said:

Exactly! Patti wouldn't just get onstage and make this up That place must be extremely filthy.

WillieDynamite said:

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Any over singing that Patti does is better than the awful singing being done by some of the so-called young diva today. She deserves to work in a clean venue.

Timmy84 said:

a got damn legend

I bet cha if Beyonce's non-singing azz was there, that place would have been spotless!

kitbradley said: