Category Archives: Concert

A FAB Friday Night Experience – Jody Watley Live at DC’s Howard Theatre

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All images shot by Vickey Ford, courtesy of CentricTV’s Soulsessions Blog.

It’s no secret that I’ve been a long-time Jody Watley fan.  But sadly I had yet to attend one of her concerts.  So when I found out that she was coming to The Howard Theatre in DC on July 19, 2013, I knew I had to move quickly to get tickets.  I’m so pleased that I did.  It was an experience, a Friday Night Experience, that I will never forget.  The show was also special in that it was Watley’s first in DC in 25 years and it was the last show as part of her summer tour.

While I’d never seen Jody Watley live before, I expected a high-energy show.  And that it was—a 90-minute extravaganza with superb vocals, top-notch musicianship, ever-stylish garb, and tight, bodacious choreography.  The show was a FAB chronicle of Watley’s career—where’s she been and where she’s going.  Watley opened the show with the funky disco soul jam “Nightlife” and “The Dawn,” new songs from her forthcoming 10th studio album Paradise.  The response from the audience was overwhelming.  Watley turned the Howard Theatre out with just the first two songs, and she was just getting started.

Watley kept the momentum going by taking us back to her days as a member of the legendary group Shalamar, with a spirited medley of hits featuring “Second Time Around,” “A Night To Remember,” and “Take That To The Bank.”  Watley effortlessly commanded the stage and continued to shut it down with spot-on performances of her enduring hits like “Friends,” “Some Kind of Lover,” “I Want You,” “Your Love Keeps Working On Me,” “Don’t You Want Me,” Still A Thrill,” and “Looking For A New Love.”

One of the most affecting moments of the show was the ballad section.  Though the tempo slowed down slightly, the energy and emotion remained quite strong.  Watley kicked off this section of the show with a beautiful, stirring performance of “Everything.”  Soulful, jazzy, stripped down, reflective reinterpretations of “When A Man Loves A Woman” and “Most Of All” followed.  Watley’s ability to reinvent and find new meaning in her music showcased the artistry, growth, and maturity that has sustained her nearly 40 year career.

After almost 40 years in this business…6 of them in Shalamar – I remain with all my success a virtual underdog. I appreciate those who really get it. My name may not grace the headlines or be a gossip and celebrity blog staple, however I continue to do ‘the work’ as a viable quality artist; while enjoying my journey with all of it’s twists, turns, highs, lows – hits, misses and triumphs. That’s life baby. ~ Jody Watley, 2013

From Disco, Pop, Funk, Hip-Hop, to R&B/Soul, what would a Jody Watley show be without Dance, House, and Electronic music?  After all, Watley’s been one of the EDM genre’s innovators for many years.  Her performances of “I’m The One You Need” and “Saturday Night Experience” were more than evident of this.  Never a substitute, always authentic.  Only the real thing.  Watley closed out the show with one of her biggest hits “Real Love,” leaving us all wanting more.

Watley’s artistry, style, consistency, and forward-thinking continues to blaze trails.  Without a doubt, she’s still got it.  And we wait anxiously to see just what she’ll do next.  Whatever it is, we know it will be FAB!

Listen to a preview of Jody Watley’s new single “Nightlife” from her forthcoming album Paradise below.

Day 101: Teedra Moses, The Lioness Live in DC

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Image by Everyday LaVan Photography c/o The Howard Theatre.

On September 7, 2012, after seven years of waiting, I was finally blessed to The Lioness, singer-songwriter Teedra Moses live.  Moses opened her “Lamb 2 Lion” tour in DC at The Howard Theatre.  She dazzled on the stage.  Her show included a well-paced set of favorites from her debut album and her mixtapes, along with several inspired, well-received cuts from her soon-to-be-released sophomore album The Lioness.  The show was further proof that she is one of the most underrated R&B/Soul singers in the game.

It’s actually been eight years since the release of Moses’ debut album Complex Simplicity.  The album was released to great critical acclaim but to little commercial fanfare.  However since that time, she’s developed quite a devoted following.  Her beloved live shows are well-attended and her mixtapes tend to be better than some of your favorite contemporary artists’ albums.  Moses has released 5 mixtapes, her most recent was 2011’s Luxurious Undergrind (released a few months after being signed to Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group).

Moses wasted no time getting the crowd hype by opening her show with the lead single from Luxurious Undergrind, “Another Luvr,” with an interpolation of Soul II Soul’s “Back To Life.”  Moses turned in stellar performances, especially on songs like “Take Me,” which featured her talented background vocalist Jeret Black (or J. Black), “You’ll Never Find (A Better Woman),” “Complex Simplicity,” “You Better Tell Her,” which featured Carl Kelly, “Caught Up,” and her sultry classic “R U 4real (freestyle).”  Moses’ voice, pure, smooth, and soulful, glided effortlessly over the music.  She possesses one of the most beautiful voices in the industry.  She’s also one of the few contemporary artists who sound even better live than they do in the studio.

Moses developed a great rapport with the audience instantaneously.  She rapped to the audience like we were best friends or family throughout the show.  At the beginning of her encore for example, she talked about how crazy Hollywood is and how difficult it is trying to keep one’s composure when dealing with the insanity.  She said she’s a sweet, down-to-earth person who is so not Hollywood.  But she made it a point to say that while she may be sweet—don’t fuck with her (yet another reason why we love her).  Moses had planned to perform a song she wrote entitled “Hollywood,” in which see sings about the craziness of the industry, but opted instead to pay homage to Rufus & Chaka Khan by singing an impassioned version of their song of the same name.  Moses closed the show with the sexy, fan favorite “Backstroke.”

 Image by Everyday LaVan Photography c/o The Howard Theatre.

Another memorable element of the show was the live art.  During the show, DC artist Demont “Peekaso” Pinder painted a beautiful portrait of singer-songwriter extraordinaire Sade, Moses’ favorite singer.  I had the opportunity to meet the extremely talented Peekaso after the show.  He’s mad cool.  For more information about Peekaso and his work, go to: http://www.demontpeekaso.net/.

After the show, Moses greeted and took pictures with fans.  The fact that she takes the time to meet her fans after her shows is a testament to how much she loves and appreciates them.  Having met Moses, I have to say how refreshing it was to meet a celebrity who is so sweet and laid-back in-person.  Some celebrities turn the shade, pretense, and ego on when meeting their fans.  Not Moses.  She may be a natural rock star, but she’s approachable.  And this translates quite well into her music and her live shows.  Her artistry comes from a passionate, genuine, authentic place.  That’s what makes it so easy for fans to relate to her and her music.

I highly recommend catching Moses on her “Lamb 2 Lion” tour.  Aside from Luxurious Undergrind, I promise you it’s the perfect musical treat to tie you over until her sophomore album The Lioness is released later this year. 

Day 76: Chanté Moore Live – Love’s Taken Over (Again)

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Image courtesy of last.fm.
In late July, my partner and I had the pleasure of seeing Chanté Moore live at The Howard Theatre (in DC).  She’s an artist we’ve both loved since the very beginning.  I remember seeing and hearing her for the first time in El DeBarge’s video for “You Know What I Like” (1991).  I wondered, “Who is this beautiful chanteuse and when will a full-length album be available for purchase?”  The following year, we were blessed with the release of her classic debut album Precious.  I think I can speak for all her fans by saying we haven’t been the same since! 
Moore’s live show, like her albums, showcased her versatility and flexibility as a singer, songwriter, and entertainer.  Moore’s music has always been an aurally satisfying mix of R&B/Soul, Jazz, Gospel, Latin, Hip-Hop, Dance, and Pop.  If you weren’t blown away by her ease in this regard on record, then you certainly would be after this live performance.  Moore’s show was a nice mix of her hits, fan favorites, and remakes.  It effectively showcased her soulful, sultry, multi-octave vocal range (which has remained in superb shape over the last 20+ years).  She began the show with a rousing rendition of Beyoncé’s “End of Time” from 4(2011).  Her performance made a statement of not only her love for all types of music (past or present), but her dynamism as a performer and her willingness to takes risks.  (Her selection of this song also shows that even she knew how hit-worthy “End of Time” was…Too bad Beyoncé’s label did not release it as a single.)  From “End of Time,” Moore went right into the hits and fan favorites starting with “This Time,” “Love’s Taken Over,” and “I Wanna Love (Like That Again).” 
Moore changed the mood of the show by doing a sexy medley of slow jams including “Do For You” (from her 2008 album Love The Woman), “Precious,” and “Finding My Way Back To You.”  During this segment of the show, Moore sang to and danced seductively around and with a lucky gentleman whom she selected from the audience to sit on stage.  Moore also took requests from the audience and sang them acapella, further proof of her talent and artistry.  Some of these songs included “Listen To My Song,” “I’m What You Need,” and “Candlelight & You.”  Moore paid homage to R&B/Soul legends Cheryl Lynn, Anita Baker, and the Gap Band with a stellar medley of “Got To Be Real,” “Sweet Love,” and “Yearning For Your Love.”       
Other highlights of the show included a spine-tingling reading of “As If We Never Met,” “Bitter,” and her opus “It’s Alright,” which brought the house to its feet.  Moore took us to higher ground during the latter half of “It’s Alright,” by singing in her angelic, stratospheric, Riperton-esque upper (whistle) register.  The rhythm and phrasing of her singing became chant-like.  She dug deeper and deeper into her soul—taking us along on a spiritual journey.  It seemed with a single performance she had transcended time and space with her voice.  There were very few dry eyes in the house (even Moore had to take a moment, as she was so enraptured by emotion from catching the spirit).  She closed the show with a moving gospel tune and her anthem (and biggest hit to date) “Chante’s Got A Man.”  She received a well-deserved standing ovation at the end of the show.  Moore performed a one-song encore as an appreciation to her fans with a spirited version of Tina Turner’s “Simply The Best.”
Moore had excellent rapport with the audience.  She took the time to talk to the audience (and I mean really talk to the audience).  She spoke about the inspiration for her music, love and relationships, lessons she’s learned, and the reception of her music in later years.  She was in great spirits and it was clear that she was having a good time (and wasn’t taking herself too seriously).  Much to our delight, Moore announced that she was working on a new album and that it would be released very soon.  It’s been four years since the release of her last album.  While it was one of her most consistent efforts, it received little fanfare.  Hopefully that won’t be the case with the next album.  With performances like the one she gave at The Howard Theatre, she should be adorned with an onslaught of much-deserved, long overdue acclaim.