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Friday, February 18, 2005 · posted at 2:19 AM

Beautifully Human. I went to the Jill Scott concert tonight. Based on what I'd heard from Jill Scott's albums, I really liked her. However, the two songs I knew, "A Long Walk" and "Cross My Mind," were just a small portion of her enormous talent and her 2.5 hour long concert.

The concert was at the Copley Symphony Hall. That's right, the Symphony Hall. What Urban/Alternative R&B has to do with a classical music venue is unbeknownst to me... But it was such a comedic image watching the mostly senior orchestra-loving ushers walk the Urban/Alternative R&B fans to their seats.

The crowd was an interesting mix. I saw a few button-down shirt Abercrombie types, a few rasta tam wearers (like the seat vulture who plopped right down in front of us and half obstructed the view...) and more Kangol caps than I'd seen since the last time I went to Aubergine. Mostly though, the people there were good-vibing hardcore fans who knew the songs inside out and were prone to hopping out of their seat to dance.

I was a little bit disappointed that Talib Kweli wasn't there. According to both the box office attendant and his website, Talib Kweli was supposed to perform, but come opening curtain was nowhere to be found. What do you mean the guy in the bad bowtie might not know what's going on? What do you mean the internet lies? Maybe after Raphael Saadiq's lukewarm reception in LA, the management company decided to forego opening acts for the concert...

Apparently the majority of Jill's songs fall into the following categories: (1) loving a man, (2) pleasing a man, (3) being pleased by a man, and (4) being burned by a man. With song titles like "It's Love," "He Loves Me," and "The Fact is (I Need You)" and lyrics like Mmm, this morning my man exclusively introduced me / To some good extra lovin' / He was lickin' and suckin' on everything / Just the way he should ... how was I to know? Actually a lyrical translator would have been really, really great because a lot of her words were drowned out by the sound of the audience's hooting and hollering.

The most amazing thing about the experience, aside from Jill's voice (at one point she broke into this opera-esque noteholding...), was the audience. Aside from belting out the lyrics and dancing, they also clapped along to the beat... with perfect rhythm. I have a huge disdain for clapping along to the song. It's not that it's too grade-school "singing circle" or deters from the music... it's just that people often do it wrong. Contrary to what Hongky thinks about people without rhythm, there is nothing attractive about a person not keeping with the beat (my dancing included). So when people at the concert started clapping in unison, I about fell over in my seat. It really can be a beautiful sound.

The overall experience definitely reminded me of the importance of really knowing and appreciating the artist before attending a performance. A concert shouldn't really be an introduction to an artist, it should be the cherry on top of an already deep appreciation for that artist. While I really did enjoy the concert and want to listen to more of her music, I also wish I had primed myself better for it so that I too could sing along and hoot and holler at the appropriate moments.

Though I'd still draw the line at myself clapping along - wouldn't want to infect the rhythm.



	Friday, February 18, 2005 · posted at 2:19 AM Beautifully Human. I went to the Jill Scott concert tonight. Based on what I'd heard from Jill Scott's albums, I really liked her. However, the two songs I knew, "A Long Walk" and "Cross My Mind," were just a small portion of her enormous talent and her 2.5 hour long concert. The concert was at the Copley Symphony Hall. That's right, the Symphony Hall. What Urban/Alternative R&B has to do with a classical music venue is unbeknownst to me... But it was such a comedic image watching the mostly senior orchestra-loving ushers walk the Urban/Alternative R&B fans to their seats. The crowd was an interesting mix. I saw a few button-down shirt Abercrombie types, a few rasta tam wearers (like the seat vulture who plopped right down in front of us and half obstructed the view...) and more Kangol caps than I'd seen since the last time I went to Aubergine. Mostly though, the people there were good-vibing hardcore fans who knew the songs inside out and were prone to hopping out of their seat to dance. I was a little bit disappointed that Talib Kweli wasn't there. According to both the box office attendant and his website, Talib Kweli was supposed to perform, but come opening curtain was nowhere to be found. What do you mean the guy in the bad bowtie might not know what's going on? What do you mean the internet lies? Maybe after Raphael Saadiq's lukewarm reception in LA, the management company decided to forego opening acts for the concert... Apparently the majority of Jill's songs fall into the following categories: (1) loving a man, (2) pleasing a man, (3) being pleased by a man, and (4) being burned by a man. With song titles like "It's Love," "He Loves Me," and "The Fact is (I Need You)" and lyrics like Mmm, this morning my man exclusively introduced me / To some good extra lovin' / He was lickin' and suckin' on everything / Just the way he should ... how was I to know? Actually a lyrical translator would have been really, really great because a lot of her words were drowned out by the sound of the audience's hooting and hollering. The most amazing thing about the experience, aside from Jill's voice (at one point she broke into this opera-esque noteholding...), was the audience. Aside from belting out the lyrics and dancing, they also clapped along to the beat... with perfect rhythm. I have a huge disdain for clapping along to the song. It's not that it's too grade-school "singing circle" or deters from the music... it's just that people often do it wrong. Contrary to what Hongky thinks about people without rhythm, there is nothing attractive about a person not keeping with the beat (my dancing included). So when people at the concert started clapping in unison, I about fell over in my seat. It really can be a beautiful sound. The overall experience definitely reminded me of the importance of really knowing and appreciating the artist before attending a performance. A concert shouldn't really be an introduction to an artist, it should be the cherry on top of an already deep appreciation for that artist. While I really did enjoy the concert and want to listen to more of her music, I also wish I had primed myself better for it so that I too could sing along and hoot and holler at the appropriate moments. Though I'd still draw the line at myself clapping along - wouldn't want to infect the rhythm.	Recent Posts Author's Note: Usually I renounce Valentine's Day ... Allow me to introduce you to my pukey face.And it ... One night stand. Most women think it's completely... Just say no and other taglines. Let me introduce y... Anything you can do I can do better. I can do any... How old would you be if you didn't know how old yo... Dear Abby... Due to a series of unfortunate event... Regina: But you're, like, really pretty. Cady: Tha... I always feel torn when the bigwigs come into town... We're all whores. "I'm not a whore," you say, and ... Morning news babie goose ryan bluemouse daves son dawntaught desiree diorama emily escadawg galveric high entropy invisible cube jepgato kyellow lilly mhuang mogbert nudream starfish + coffee verbivore Archives March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 January 2007 March 2007 April 2007 November 2008

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