Category Archives: Let’s Rock: Concert Reviews

The ERRO Concert Experience

13 Thursday Dec 2007

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James Brown was the hardest working man in show business, rest his soul. Tom Joyner is the hardest working man in radio. Let it be known that Eric Roberson is the hardest working independent artist in soul music. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen Erro perform. Butta’s count is eight.  Then again, she is the Head Negress in Charge of the Erro Stan Association. (Try googling anything Eric Roberson and see how many times her blog comes up). Ya’ll should already know ’bout me. Besides, since he’s a Giants fan I can only give him so much love. I’m just sayin.

Everytime I see this man perform is truly an experience. He doesn’t just sing, he performs. His charm and sense of humor keep you entertained during what can end up being a three-hour show. He can fluently switch between rocking out and the “sexy part of the show,” or the music you can put on to “seal the deal.” Amen to that! His freestyles are the illest, with the exception of the one he did on Sunday at the Eden’s Lounge show in Baltimore mentioning his beloved Giants, who had just beat my Eagles earlier that day. He almost caught a bad one.

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I don’t play.

Nah, I got love for my fellow Jersey native. Roselle (where I grew up) and his hometown, Rahway, are a hop, skip and a jump from each other. I used to get some good fried fish over there. I wonder if I ever saw Erro in that spot way back when. Hmm…

He just returned from a European tour, which he details on his very entertaining blog about life as an independent artist. I’m glad he’s back and giving us the hotness again here in the states. I was also excited to hear that he is working on his 6th album, although his latest release, …Left, still gets regular play on the ‘pod.

If you have never had the Erro experience, get ready. As always, this is just a sample. More over on the You Tube channel. You can also check out Butta’s channel for the Erro experience at previous shows.

Let me know what you think in the comments. You can find out more about Erro on his blog and on his Myspace where he keeps his tour schedule. Nice interview here as well.

Change for Me

Softest Lips (from the sexy part of the show)
Check out how he blended in the cover of “Adore”)

Been in Love

Throwback! Throwback!
The Moon, his first single released in ’94

“Get Back” : Little Brother in Concert

07 Friday Dec 2007

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I’m almost ashamed to say that I wasn’t up on Little Brother before attending their show in DC last weekend. I’d certainly heard of them, but didn’t have any of their albums. Luckily, my sister in soul lets me know what’s hot and what’s not. So when she said that the show was a can’t miss and hooked me up with some music to get acquainted, I immediately purchased my ticket.

I can’t even begin to adequately review this show. I’ll leave that to the experts at Honey Soul, Friday Favecast, and Boo Goo Doo Boom.

I will say they certainly have a new fan here. I love the energy they bring to the stage and the crowd gives it back to them ten-fold. That’s the kind of shows I like to attend.

A lot of that energy comes from Phonte, who I first became familiar with on the track, “Been in Love,” from Eric Roberson’s latest release, Left. I love the wittiness of his rhymes and it definitely translates on stage. He’s a true MC. He entertains, not just spits out a bunch of unintelligible mess over a hot beat. You’ll see some of his antics in the videos.

Another reason I’m feeling Little Brother is that they have one of my favorite soul singers, Darien Brockington on tour with them. According to Phonte, he’s working as “one of the sexiest hype men alive.”  Nothing but the truth. (If you don’t know about DBrock and his album, Somebody To Love, you better ask somebody.) Darien sings the hook on most of the songs and gets down. I was two seconds from getting up there and partying with him. You’ll see what I mean when you view the videos. My camera mysteriously got a mind of it’s own and kept swinging in his direction.  Check out an interview with Darien where he talks about touring with Little Brother.

The lowlight of the show was that I must have been wearing that sign on my back again advertising freebie for married men.  Playa worked real hard trying to convince me that the band on his left finger was simply a figment of my imagination. I guess he thought because he had on his “good clothes,” I would be won over. Right.

Enough of that.

Without further ado, here are some videos I shot at the show. You can check out my You Tube for more Little Brother and performances from opening acts, Evidence of Dialated Peoples and Reef the Lost Cause out of Philly.

Big Pooh with a sick freestyle

The Way You Do It f/ D Brock

Step It Up f/D Brock – hell yea!

Good Clothes

*photo credit – Boneystarks

So Thankful: “Let’s Rock” With Chrisette Michele

26 Monday Nov 2007

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I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I actually cooked dinner all by myself for the first time. I especially put my foot all in the stuffing, sweet potato pie (from scratch thank you!), and baked mac and cheese. My relatives from The Sticks, South Carolina would have been proud.

As I was cooking, I had time to reflect on some of the things I’m thankful for as the year comes to a close. For one, my career path has taken an interesting turn as I was blessed with a very nice promotion, just in time for the holidays. I’ve been having career woes/ambivalence for a while and this does muddy the waters up a bit, but I’m still very blessed all the same.

Ya’ll should already know the other thing I’m grateful for….being able to feed my music jones with artists like Chrisette Michele. This was my second time seeing her live. First time was up in Philly during one of the numerous outdoor festivals. She ripped it then, but I really couldn’t enjoy it like I wanted since it was raining cats and dogs and we had to stand so far away from her. So I was excited about seeing her again at The Black Cat when she was there in August. I messed around and dropped the ball on getting tickets. I didn’t make that mistake this time. I was on it…and thankfully so. When I arrived, the line was so ridiculous I swore it was Black Friday at Best Buy. Advance purchase and early arrival were definitely the move as I got to bypass the never-ending line and head on inside to get prime videotaping position.

As I mentioned in the Keite Young post, the crowd was more than ready and showed her much love and energy. She could barely even sing her own songs at times, having to share the mic with the crowd. I know artists love that though.Ya’ll should already have I Am in constant rotation, but really you can’t appreciate the music until you’ve heard it live. The rawness and passion in Chrisette’s voice are unmatched by most singers her age, especially in today’s music scene. This girl done experienced some thangs.

If I Have My Way

Golden

While her voice does have a maturity beyond her years, this girl still wants to have fun.

Like A Dream

Good Girl

I managed to fight my way through the mob for a signed poster and a quick photo op.

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 I could have slapped my own self for not bringing my CD to be signed. In the brief time that I met and observed her, she truly seemed to be very personable, definitely someone you can hang out shopping with (she and I both have a jones for the mall – only she can actually afford to feed her habit). This “Good Girl” definitely has a long career ahead of her. I’m already looking forward to her next album. I’m ready to rock all over again!

Let’s Rock

There’s Something About Keite

26 Monday Nov 2007

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I had the pleasure of finding out just what that was last weekend at the Black Cat here in DC. Keite opened to a crowd practically simmering over in anticipation of rocking with Chrisette Michele. A couple of people standing by me didn’t even know who was opening and asked, “Who Is Keite Young?” By the time he made his way to the stage and funked up a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” I do believe they had their answer.

If that didn’t do it, his cover of the Police’s “Roxanne” surely did.

Don’t get it twisted. While Keite does a hell of a cover, the original material from his debut album, The Rise and Fall of Keite Young, had me anxiously waiting to cop his CD and put it in regular rotation.

Check out “If We Were Alone” (um…is this really coming from an ordained minister?)

“Thinkuboutmi”

He closed the set by taking a HUGE risk and covering Prince’s “Beautiful Ones.” I admit, I was scared for him. You just don’t touch Your Royal Purpleness. But when he ripped that hat off his head and messed that doobie up, I knew he was about to give us the business. Prince fans, what say you?

I had the chance to meet Keite after the show. We look cute huh? No real reason I’m cheesing like that. I tend to smile too big in my pics.

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I think I’ve mentioned before that one reason I love supporting new or independent artists is because they are still so grateful and hungry. Keite seemed to be in awe at the people lined up to buy his album. I would also imagine that since he’s traveled such a long, hard road to bring us the music, he probably still can’t believe he’s finally here. And judging from what I saw, what’s yet to come will be even better.

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“Love It”: Bilal Concert Review and Videos

14 Wednesday Nov 2007

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I told you in  a previous post that I stalk Bilal up and down the East Coast. This was my fourth time seeing him this year. No shame in that. I got plenty of company. The man is just that sick with it.

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He showed out, as usual, in between weed-induced ramblings that actually made sense if you listened reallll closely. I didn’t write down a playlist, but I managed to capture just about every song. Check out a few of my faves below and the other fifty-eleven of them are on my You Tube channel. (Side bar: I got a cute note from a dude in Baltimore thanking me for capturing the whole show, as he had to miss it because he was too tired to make the ride after being in school all day. I do what I do for true music lovers like that.)

The true highlight of the whole experience is that that I actually got to meet him this time. He was over doing a meet and greet and I ran over to get my t-shirt signed and to take a picture. I confessed that I was stalking him. He didn’t seem to mind.

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Don’t ask me what they says.

I had to take the picture with my phone because my camera battery turned in for the evening before the concert ended. I neglected to mention I was on my second drink by then and they make them strong at the Black Cat. More like vodka with a dash of orange juice! So I’m loose off the goose at this point and must have pressed delete instead of save.

Get me a room at Heartbreak Hotel.

When I see him in Philly, how about I just say no?

Sometimes

 Reminisce

Lord Don’t Let It

Hollywood (can’t stay still on this one!)