Tag Archives: jill scott concert review

I Can’t Even Begin To Explain…

04 Monday Aug 2008

Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones, Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

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by vivrant thang on jill scott

…how YOUR girl Jill Scott cut up on Saturday night. I’m not going to have time for a full concert review because for one, I’ve got about sixty other videos I need to download before those (Raheem and Chrisette Michele, Bilal, J*Davey, Rahsaan Patterson) – although I am SO tempted to push hers ahead of the rest. Once again, Jill had me mesmerized.

You can find concert reviews, video and pictures here and here.

Some additional thoughts:

I need more more more Estelle in my life! Understandably, her set was short since she opened ahead of DC go-go legend Chuck Brown, The Roots, and Jill. She did about five or six songs – including my fave “Substitute Lover” which I’ll be rocking hard in Barbados because of its Caribbean flavor.

Was great to see V, Ra-Re Valverde, and Chinahblac backing Jill. I mentioned V in my last review.  You should get to know Ra-Re. She has an album out called “A Beautiful Mess“ (love that title because that’s how I refer to myself on many a day!) Her talent has been co-signed by some of the greats. Get into her.

I was officially done with Jill for the night when she opened her “trying to get you laid” part of the show. She did “Come See Me” and then noticed some folks starting to leave. She says, “They got to go! They can’t even make it home. They got to get to the car right now!” Then she did “Crown Royal” and talked about the great old school love songs and how when you invite your man over, you got to take the batteries out of B.O.B (your battery operated boyfriend) and put them in the remote for the stereo.

DEAD.

When you press play, you hear this:

ChinahBlac put a HURTING on Teena Marie’s “Portugese Love”

V killing the Isley Brothers “Between The Sheets.” He could do no wrong with me since the Philly show when he reminded me of how much I love Atlantic Starr’s “Send For Me.”

Ra-Re did her thang on Prince’s “Do Me.”

I was done.

Video evidence is coming because my description just can’t capture it.

Jill-ism of the night: “Shit on your shoe don’t keep you from walking.” Hate on me indeed!

She ended her set of mostly tracks from the new album with a nice up-tempo, house version of “Lyzel in E Flat (He Loves Me).” The encore included The Roots and Chuck Brown joining her on stage for “It’s Love.” She praised Chuck for introducing her to that go-go sound. Chuck Baby didn’t really know the words and I was begging Jill to take the mic back and just let him ad-lib which is what she eventually did and it was pure fiyah!

As she has been doing at every show, she came out as everyone was filing out to do “And I Heard,” the song she says came to her in her sleep. Some crazy woman kept yelling out “Obama!” I guess she wanted Jill to do an Obama freestyle. Jill simply warned us not to continue making this race about a black man running. We better focus on his politics or we might “fuck it up.” I see her point but that’s impossible.

What I love about Jill’s concerts is that I’ve seen her three times in the past year and a half and her shows are never the same. I love how she changes up her arrangements and the set lists are different. She’s just versatile like that and I love her for it.

Just as my high was just starting to come down, I head on over to catch up with one of my favorite, most-respected bloggers, Afrobella and see that she has called me a “brilliant” music blogger while referencing my Rock The Bells review in her excellent review of the Miami show.  She is certainly at the very top of my list of favorite female bloggers so that damn near had me misty!

While we’re on the subject of favorite bloggers, I’m sure you’ve heard about the Black Weblog Awards. Voting is now underway. I would never tell you how to vote, except if we’re talking about the general election 🙂 However, I would invite you to consider throwing your vote in several categories to the good folks over at Soul Bounce.  Nova, Butta, Harlem, and Ill Mami bust their hindparts every single day to bring you original, extremely well-written content about the latest and greatest in the music industry – and that’s hard to find on the Internets.

Here are the categories they’d like your vote in.  Frankly, they deserve all of them but I’m sure they will take as many as you can spare! If you’re not convinced, take a listen to them speaking about the evolution of Soul Bounce and why they do what they do on Friday Favecast.

So head on over and ROCK THE VOTE.

I didn’t vote Soul Bounce in every category. Afrobella, Friday Favecast,  AverageBro, and Black and Married With Kids, and Crunk and Disorderly were just a few of sites that got my vote as well.

Whichever way you vote, just do it!

Monster post coming this week. Stay tuned!

photo credit: African Olmecca

Old School Friday: Artists We Admire

02 Friday May 2008

Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones

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by vivrant thang on old school fridays

I didn’t have to give much thought to my choice for this week’s spotlight. The assignment was to pick an artist(s) we want to be like or want to sound like.

Usually, I try to step outside the box a bit with my selection – showcase artists people may not have heard about or not thought about in a while. Couldn’t do that this week. I just finished talking about all the reasons why I love this woman and damnit, it bears repeating!

Hopefully, I’m preaching to the choir when I talk about this woman’s musical ability. The words and sounds that come out of her mouth are heaven sent. Her live performances have moved me to tears. I shouldn’t need to convince any of you about that. You should already know. So I’ll talk about some of the other things I admire about J-I-L-L-S-C-O-T-T.

  • I admire how comfortable she is in her own skin.
  • I admire her sassiness, her beauty, her unabashed sensuality, and her rawness. She’s a cusser like moi.
  • I admire that she was able to pick herself up and keep flying after loving that deeply  – and losing.aside: She might have had an extra shot of six of Crown Royal on ice but you never once heard about a DUI or any other public antics. You have also never heard her say one negative word about him. That’s a real woman. Now a chick like me would have been hollering to anyone that would listen about his bitchassness. I’m just sayin.
  • I admire the path she has taken and how she is following her dreams. She’s gone from scooping ice cream in North Philly to being a three-time Grammy Award winner, published author, and star of the big and little screen.I can’t wait to see what’s next.

She’s the shit ya’ll….the REAL thing.

Bow down to the queen.

My Love

The Way/ Whenever You’re Around

[youtbe=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jXfUn6o7Sg]

The REAL Thing

Hungry for more? Be sure to check out my review and videos from the concert I attended last month.

The party’s not over ya’ll. Check out some of the artists that other Old School Friday participants admire.

  • Electronic Village
  • Chatting Over Cocktails
  • Ms Grapevine
  • Quick
  • Marcus LANGFORD
  • Cassandra
  • Danielle
  • Lisa C
  • Chocl8t 
  • DP
  • Kreative Talk
  • MarvalusOne
  • Regina
  • LaShonda
  • AJ
  • Sharon
  • Invisible Woman
  • Believer 1964
  • Dee
  • SJP
  • sHaE-sHae

    • The Real Thing…In Stereo: Jill Scott Concert Review

    23 Wednesday Apr 2008

    Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones, Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

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    by vivrant thang on jill scott: o how i love thee…let me count the ways

    We’re only a quarter of the way through the year but I think it’s safe to say that The Real Thing tour featuring Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild and Raheem Devaughn will easily top my list of the best shows I attended in 2008. It’s been almost two months since the show and I still haven’t come down from the Jill Scott experience.

    When her tour dates were announced, there was no question that I would be hitting Philly for the show.  Whenever possible, I prefer to see an artist perform at home. When I heard Musiq was added to the lineup, it was a done deal.

    Raheem opened the show to a bunch of empty seats. They don’t play that CPT at the Licouras Center. No matter. The way Rah worked that stage, you would have thought he was playing at home in a packed DC venue. He was all dressed up in his Easter suit, looking suave and debonair, showing Philly what he was all about. He performed a couple of songs from the first album, The Love Experience (which remains my favorite) and a few from his latest release, Love Behind the Melody. He closed with the sistas anthem, “Woman.” Of course we were all on our feet because we all just know he wrote that song about “you and you and you.”

    Mama is so proud of that boy! Up there opening for Jill Scott. What I love about Rah is that I believe no matter how big he gets, he will always stay humble. He wasn’t an overnight success. He paid his dues, unlike many of these fools in the game today. So he is actually grateful for our support. And I’m sure he’s even more thankful to be doing what he loves and making some cheddar! So Rah if you’re listening, all is forgiven for this blasphemy. You go boy!

    Musiq was up next. This was my second time seeing him perform live. Not the most exciting performer in the world. I wouldn’t go so far as calling him the musical equivalent of a sedative. I’ll just say that Musiq’s strength will always be in the fact that just listening to his songs makes you feel good. You don’t need him to do much more than stand there and sing. You’re not even really watching him – just reminiscing about dedicating “Just Friends” or “Love” to that special someone.

    I did manage to capture a few videos,  despite the sign on the doors that said “No recording.” I’ve always been a rebel. So they are a bit janky since this was a covert operation. You might hear some cussin’ in the background too. Deal.

    halfcrazy

    don’tchange
    (take a lesson, fellas!)

    By the time Jill took the stage in all her mohawked glory, the crowd was on fire. They would have still been on fire had they not been warmed up. This is their girl from the streets of North Philly. Look at her now. Sold out crowds around the globe. Three time Grammy award winner. Movie star. Published poet. Don’t get it twisted. Same old Jill. She’s going to throw on her hat and check out Eric Roberson with her people. No big deal. I do believe she will always be able to make us feel like she was just spitting at the Five Spot the previous night. Before we were asking “Who Is Jill Scott?”

    I just couldn’t be bothered with a track list. I was going through too many emotions. Too busy laughing. Too busy crying. Too busy singing. Too busy grooving. Too busy experiencing the REAL thing in stereo.

    I ’m more than a toy for your satisfaction
    I’m a pay-per-view on the TV screen
    Your main attraction

    Believe me, Jill. We know.

    The Real Thing (snippet)

    Gimme

    Cross My Mind

    As we know, I use “stan” pretty liberally on this blog. What does it truly mean to stan for an artist though? Me and an associate were discussing the shows I’ve been to and the conversation turned to Jill and the current album. She asked if I had heard it. I said of course! I had it the second Best Buy opened on 9/25/07. She asked how I liked it. Like? I LOVED it. She scrunched up her face and said “You liked that mess?” I literally had to restrain myself from slapping her upside her head a la Homey D. Clown. Vivrant don’t play that. No, you cannot have your own opinion about anything when it comes to Jill…around me. That’s just how it is. (Remember that in the comments!)

    Ok, let’s just say a particular song on the album wasn’t one of your favorites. By the time that woman is done sannnging the hell out of it live, there’s just no way you don’t take another listen to that song when you get home and fall in love. That’s a true artist. No straight album version with Jill. She’s always going to give you more than you bargained for with the live arrangements.

    I wasn’t able to capture what she did with “The Fact Is (I Need You)” because security must have thought I was going to bootleg and shut me down…temporarily. No matter – because I’m not sure I could have even captured it. Jill, backed by male soul singer, V, did a medley of “I Need You” and one of my favorite Atlantic Starr songs “Send For Me.” (What ya’ll know about ‘put a message in a bottle’?!) I literally had chills throughout the whole performance. I really liked that song from Beautifully Human but now I am in love with it because I’m always going to remember that live performance.

    Crown Royal (ya’ll know I had to get this – was my #1 song of 2007)

    Come See Meeeee

    Jill closed the show with “Lyzel in E Flat.” You still have to wonder how a love that would inspire a song like that could end. I think I know. Lyzel has got to be the dumbest negro walking this Earth. Jill’s a class act so she won’t say it publicly but I will. Man up playa! You don’t see Kendu acting a fool. He is right there chilling next to Mary in that Chevrolet with dollar signs in his eyes. I don’t care if we don’t know what went on behind closed doors. Because I’m a stan, I could care less. I know it was all his fault. Good riddance.

    After leaving the stage on that note, she came back out to share her wonderful news with us – how the television adaptation of No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, in which she stars, has been picked up by HBO for 13 episodes. She encouraged the crowd to follow their passion and live their dreams. Preach!

    While I look forward to seeing more of Jill flexing her acting chops, as she is definitely a natural, I admit I’ll always be feenin for that next album…that next live performance. What can I say? Do you blame me?

    photo credits: ishootshows.com