Ok, so this time, when we walked up at showtime to a sold out show at the Borgata, we only got second row seats, not front row center, like we did at the "sold out" Steely Dan show. But second row at the pint sized Music Box is plenty close to hear the larger-than-life still-bringing-it Retha. At the box office, there was a little suspense, as the ticket agent said all remaining tickets were still "committed," which I guess is what they call tickets that are not sold, but kept in case someone more important than you requests them at the last minute. But then, I guess, she was able to uncommit. And once, again, at the last minute, for face value, the best seats in the house, other than where Aretha's children and grandchildren sat. But why am I letting anyone in on this? (The House of Blues does one better: At two recent shows, George Clinton and Regina Spektor, they literally just gave us free tickets at the box office when we went up to buy them a little after showtime. Refused to take any cash.) Anyway, was a sweet show, Aretha even let her 11-year-old granddaughter Victory Franklin sing Alycia Keys' No One, coming to her assistance on an off-stage mike. She seemed relaxed and in fine form, telling stories of seagulls eating her hot dog on the Boardwalk, shopping at the Pier, and bragging of her Borgata hotel room with a well-worn joke about finding a man inside her room in the morning and calling police to tell them to come get the man "tomorrow." She apparently likes to keep things sweaty, as she requested the air conditioning be turned off. She sat down at the piano and played her fine gospel rendition of Bridge Over Troubled Water, which she also did during a truly sweltering Adrian Philips ballroom performance some years back. She seems to like it here, which is ok by me. Retha, if I'd won a million, I would definitely have sent you half, like you requested.