I saw M.I.A. with her fella, the dj Diplo last night. It was like seeing the kids from a Lynda Barry cartoon, all up on stage and winning. THAT was what made it a worthwhile live experience. That and getting to hear Diplo who was great and, like M.I.A. totally assured in his own taste and not concerned with what's cool. He began his set with "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits; that's how unconcerned with being cool he was.
The stage looked like an 11-year-old's rec room prepared for a party. There was, inexplicably, a paper mache helicopter the size of a sofa cushion, a wooden palm tree, a backdrop covered with spraypaint and glitter and christmas tree lights everywhere.