LIVE: Mark Ronson's live US Debut at Highline Ballroom

Kirk and I found ourselves in the odd position of having a “hard stop” at a rock show—we had to leave at exactly 10:15 to book back to our Park Ave. office to get this here site launched. (A conference call at 11. …in the dark…in a non-AC, windowless office officially christened the site). So we didn’t get to see much of the show—but too much of the completely disorganized press/VIP guestlist. Guess there are some growing pains for the 3-month old Highline Ballroom.

Ronson took the stage (with guitar in hand) around 9:45 with what I can describe as a group of seriously talented blues/funk sessions dudes…totally out of Paul Shaffer’s playbook. Problem is, Ronson seemed a little unnerved by the whole experience, playing lead at times, but staying in the background for most of the 8-minute jam.

Ronson’s rap protege Wale hit the stage next with some pretty uninspired party rhymes (throw your hands in the air fluff) with a Saigon cameo near the end of the mini set. Wale is probably pretty competent on record, but the perf was pure meh.

Then our hard stop alarm sounded and he had to split. Other all-star cameos from the show? Wireimage tells me Daniel Merriweather played. And that Eve was sitting on a sofa for a time. Walking out we passed Jay-Z and security detail entering a black car. Guess he wasn’t feeling Wale either. -- Matt Rodbard