Tag Archives: maxwell concert review

Top Ten Live Performances I’ve Attended In 2008

18 Thursday Dec 2008

Posted by in Best Of Lists

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It seems you all have enjoyed the first of my best of lists for 2008. We started out with the best songs and albums that you probably never heard to give you a break from some of these best of lists that are starting to look a bit like carbon copies of each other. This is definitely not a bad thing. Just proves that were a few albums that were indeed the creme de la creme – essential for any true music fan to have in their collections. I’ll be adding my two cents to that discussion very shortly.

Before we get there, since I am also a very amateur videographer and live for my  concert-going adventures,  I have to throw those into the countdown fray as well. By year’s end, I will have attended exactly thirty live performances by some of the best artists in the industry today. I’ve also supported up and coming underrated artists who are trying to make a name for themselves. For those just joining us, you can find video from all of these shows and more on my You Tube channel which has grown leaps and bounds this year.

In 2007,  I shared my top five shows. I look back at that post and smile because back then, I was averaging about one show a month. My how we’ve grown! So this year, there was absolutely no way I could limit it to five.

Reminisce with me for a minute.

(in no particular order)

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Maxwell, Landmark Theatre in Richmond, VA  11/08

My my my my.

Maxie, don’t do me dirty now. You turned on the oven now you better be cooking something over there! I look forward to round two in 2009. In which time I should also have an album that I can cradle close to my bosom and play until my ears bleed.

Read my review of the Maxwell show and watch live video I captured of the performance. The review and videos ended up on several Maxwell fan forums and websites including The Latest Maxwell News, all Maxwell, all the time. Such serious stanneration  dedication. Gotta love it!

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Jill Scott, The Roots, Chuck Brown and Estelle, Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia , MD 8/08

Even if I wanted to forget about this summer superfest, Jill fans won’t let me. I get several comments a week on the videos I captured from this show. This was my second time seeing Jill in 2008. The first was at home in Philly and that show was then aired in a television special. Raheem Devaughn and Musiq were on that bill. I was iffy about going again since I had plunked down a nice piece of change and traveled a couple of hours at that. I had also seen The Roots several times this summer already. I am so very glad I went ahead and spent my grocery money on a ticket to this show. Those PB&J sammiches I had to eat for the rest of the month were SO worth it.

Read my brief review of the Jill Scott, Estelle, The Roots and Chuck Brown show  and watch live video of the performances on my You Tube channel.

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Foreign Exchange, Black Cat in Washington, DC 11/08

You already know. Phontigallo (the man of the year) in his good clothes getting his serious croon on. Yazarah styling on everybody in the baddest solid gold dress I’ve ever seen. Her and Muhsinah (the woman of the year) flowing so melodically over Nicolay’s  (the producer of the year, RECOGNIZE) beats. There’s nothing better than youuuuuuuu indeed.

Read my review of the Foreign Exchange concert and watch live video of the performance.

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Rock The Bells, Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD  7/08

I think I may still be high from this show – literally and figuratively. Rock the Bells was probably one of the best shows of this magnitude and with this caliber of line up that I’ve ever been to. As I rode home that night (and almost crashed my car cause I had a contact high), I put on the CD sampler because I just couldn’t get enough. Me and h.e.r got a thang going on and I can’t wait to get some more in 2009.

Read my Rock the Bells concert review and view live videos of the performances.

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Legends of Hip Hop, Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore MD, 8/2008

Although I had a few critiques about this show, it made the list because of the lineup. Strictly for the thirty and over crowd. Just as I like it. It’s not often that you’ll see Mc Lyte, Chubb Rock (!!!), Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Doug E Fresh, Rob Base, and Kool Moe Dee (!!!) on one stage. On a warm summer night by the water, I was throwing my hands up in the air and waving them like I just didn’t care. Real hip hop was definitely in the building.

Read my review of the Legends of Hip Hop Concert and watch the videos of the live performances.

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Raphael Saadiq, Black Cat in Washington DC, 9/08

This was the show where I probably should have just gone up on stage took the mic and sang because apparently I felt I knew Raphael’ssongs better than he did. At times, I’m all you hear on the videos! Not a good look but definitely a testament to my long standing love for him as part of the Tonys and as a solo artist. He has provided the blueprint for how the Motown sound should be done and his stage show was the perfect compliment.

Read my review of the Raphael Saadiq concert and watch live video of his performance.

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Amp Fiddler, Tortured Soul and Fertile Ground, 930 Club, Washington DC, 2/08

See that look on Christian of Tortured Soul’s face? It’s because of all that funk he created up in the 930 club back on that cold February night. I’ve seen many performances there but never have I seen the place turn into an all out party. I had to check to see if I was at a club. (I wasn’t or there wouldn’t have been any dancing. It’s DC). I left that show seriously considering following the tour bus up the road to NYC for their next gig. Turned out!

Read a very brief review of the Tortured Soul, Amp Fidder and Fertile Ground show and view my video of the performances on my You Tube channel.

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Q-Tip, 930 Club in Washington DC, 11/08

In which Vivrant Thang is still swooning over the fact that she met her muse and got to preview the hotness that is Renaissance. After seeing him with ATCQ this summer at Rock The Bells,  I couldn’t wait for him to get back to the area to give it to us live as only a true emcee can. I almost didn’t make it to this show and I would have hated myself the morning after if I hadn’t. There is nothing like the live versions of these songs.

Read about Vivrant Thang getting up with Q-Tip and watch live video of the performance.

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THE FIRST Annual Roots Picnic and Pre-Picnic Jam Session in Philly, 6/08

I was at the first annual Roots Picnic and I got the t-shirt to prove it. Heh. I think I am still scarred by how brutally hot it was out there that day. However, I hung in there because the energy and the performances were nothing short of amazing in spite of the heat. I’ll never forget how cool Binky Griptite of The Dap Kings looked out there in a suit. I don’t think I saw a bead of sweat roll down his face. I am so glad that The Roots will continue to put this on despite “retiring” from touring. I know that I will get a eclectic group of artists and make some new discoveries (like Santogold and Esperanza Spalding who both ended up on my best of 2008 lists).

Read my review of The Roots Picnic and watch live video of the performances.

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Can A Sista Rock A Mic?, Washington DC, 10/08

Look at that bad mamajama right there!

Yazarah performed on the third night of this multi-day festival showcasing the best in underrated female soul and hip hop artists. It was out of this year’s festival that my underrated female soul singers spotlights were born. I’ve profiled some of the performers including Jean Baylor, Tamara Wellons, and Liv Warfield. Stay tuned for more. I look forward to the talent this festival will bring to the area next year.

As you can see, it’s been a damn good year musically. Remember you can view live video from each of these performances over on the You Tube channel. Subscribe. There’s much more to come.

Have you been to any great shows this years? Share with me in the comments.

“Fortunate” Indeed: Maxwell Concert Review

18 Tuesday Nov 2008

Posted by in Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

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Much ado has been made about the price of Maxwell tickets – and rightfully so! In this economy, there are plenty of other things a somewhat fiscally responsible person like myself could have done with that hundred some odd dollars I paid for my 5th row seat.

Maxie, if paying an arm and a leg for your love if loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right!

I can’t imagine what it must be like to have been away for so long and welcomed back as if you had never left. Folks are fickle. They forget. But it’s virtually impossible to forget a man like Maxwell.

Believe it or not, this was my first time ever seeing him live. When he was last touring, I had yet to become the ultimate concert enthusiast I am today. Can you imagine there was ever such a time for someone who will have attended forty concerts by year’s end and has over 550 videos on the YouTube channel? Me either.

However, before we get into my account of the Maxwell Experience,  let’s briefly talk about the opening act, Miss Jazmine Sullivan. As you know, I wasn’t overwhelmed by her album but was hoping to feel differently after seeing her live.

Let me first say, the girl can sang. No doubt about that. No studio voice here. However, I was underwhelmed by her stage show. The band overpowered her voice, which as you can imagine is hard to do. At times, she sounded strained, no doubt because of the hectic touring schedule. She has not yet mastered dancing and singing and should move a little less to avoid sounding out of breath.

Overall, I wasn’t as disappointed as some music connoisseurs with her performance. She blew me away with the song that got her signed “In Love With Another Man.” However, I can’t wait to see how she grows over her career. Some things are still a little rough around the edges, but this girl has got talent. I’m already looking forward to her sophomore effort.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I was not prepared for the way Landmark Theatre in Richmond, VA erupted when the first chords of “Get To Know Ya” filled the large auditorium – before the curtain even went up. When it did, I was thoroughly impressed with the beauty of the simple set and the band who was dressed to the nines. There was no t-shirt and sneaks to be found. Momma Viv, a stickler for such things, would have been proud.

As you’ll see, there was no need for Maxwell to “Get To Know Ya.” He was already intimately acquainted with each and every screaming female in the sold out theatre. Of course the fellas played it cool. They were just watching the clock, waiting for dude to set them up for the night so they could get home and reap the benefits.

From there, he went into the very apropos  “No One.”

I try to forget ya but you’re all I wanna do
I can do better but there’s no one quite like you

Though I love Maxie’s uptempo songs where he gets to swivel them hips as few men can, the joint that earned him a coveted spot on my top fifty songs listis “Til the Cops Come Knocking.” My second favorite is “Sumthin Sumthin (Mellosmoothe).” Obviously, it’s his drop-your-granny-panties ballads that do it for me. So I was more than ready for what Eric Roberson likes to call, “the sexy part of the show.”

He warmed us up with the sentimental sweetness that is “Lifetime.”

Then the lights went down.

It was all I could do to hold it together. It was almost like a spiritual thang hearing him sing “This Woman’s Work,” which always makes me think about the tender love scene in one of my all time favorite movies, “Love and Basketball.” That falsetto sounded oh so sweet. I was no more good once he got down on his knees. The performance earned him his sole pair of granny panties, tossed upon the stage by an actual Granny!

Richmond must be a conservative city because I surely expected more to be thrown after his performance of  “Everwanting (To Want You To Want).” Against a beautiful red and green backdrop, he got down on the floor and showed the men how they need to work the middle showed the ladies just how he works those hips offstage. It was a beautiful thing.

At this point, I almost got into an altercation with the stinky breath security guard who shut me down and commanded that I stop recording. You KNOW I don’t take too kindly to that. As much as I paid for that ticket, I should have received a professionally recorded DVD of the whole show immediately afterwards! In any event, I obeyed orders for the time being.

So I was forced to just sit and watch him perform:

  • W/As My Girl
  • Pretty Wings
  • Simply Beautiful (Oh how I love seeing him perform this up close and personal.  He KILLS this song.)
  • Fortunate (I was in agony at not being able to capture this)
  • Help Somebody (Obama-inspired song) (I’m just bitter at this point)
  • Til The Cops Come Knockin

Sorry, toy cop. I had to bring the camera back out and at least get the audio. I had been warned by a fellow Twitizen that that his performance of my favorite. Maxwell. song. ever was absolutely orgasmic. By the time he was done, my leg was actually shaking and I was reaching for shit that wasn’t even there. His band is outstanding, simply top notch.

He pretended to bid us adieu and we mock screamed bloody murder until he came back out and performed “Acension (Don’t Ever Wonder).”

He bid us adieu again. We needed more! more! more!

He blessed us with a performance of “Whenever Wherever Whatever.” Another spiritual experience. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him the entire time. I think you’ll agree.

Yessir. I’m the REAL maverick.

As you can see, much like a Jill Scott show, it wasn’t just a concert, it was an experience. Maxwell is the consummate performer. He doesn’t just sing, he entertains. He commands the entire stage and performs in front of a sold out crowd like it’s an intimate performance for fifty.

When he cracks jokes like these, he becomes someone you can envision just hanging out and tripping with.

“Women, ya’ll looking all crispy (Viv: don’t ask). Ya’ll all lotioned up. All Vaseline Intensive Cared up.”

“I’m talking to all the cornfed, cornbread eating women. The collard green and fried chicken eating sistas.”

“Fellas, I’m setting you up for tonight. You’re gonna get some tonight!”

Oh how he reminds me of Jill in that way. Hmm…now wouldn’t that be a super concert? I’m putting that energy out there in the musical atmosphere. He says he’s touring again next year. Hey, you never know!

Maxwell is here in DC for the next couple of nights before heading up to Baltimore, New Jersey, and finally back home to NYC where it all started. From the comments I’ve been getting on these videos, I think we all agree that those of us who have seen him on this tour are “fortunate” indeed.

*Okay, okay. I know the hair is gone! So sue me. I miss it!