Things have changed significantly in Shania Twain’s life between 2002’s Up! and 2017’s Now. The abridged version: motherhood, infidelity, divorce, remarriage, and paralyzing vocal issues. Despite the odds, Shania Twain remains resilient. 2017’s Now failed to ignite the same spark as previous albums, but that’s not hindering her. And while her vocal issues slow her down and require extensive workouts prior to performance, she soldiers on. The Barclays Center in Brooklyn was not sold out (tickets were available on resale for as low as $6), but that’s their loss. Shania Twain’s Now Tour was a stellar show with jaw-dropping production value.

First of all, Shania sounded great. While there was surely some backing vocal assistance, Shania was still singing live and giving it her all. She opened the show by unconventionally entering the arena not on a stage, but between sections 9 and 8 (donning a cowboy hat, of course). Shania walking right through the crowd, down the steps to the floor, and over to the stage, much to the audience’s delight.

Visually Shania and the tour’s production were both top notch. Shania embraced her ‘diva’ side when it came to wardrobe, and looked great doing so. She cycled through no less than 5 outfits during the show, each tailored to fit the songs she performed in them. Most notable was the flow-y, leopard printed look sported during “That Don’t Impress Me Much”. There were also high-heeled boots and a cowboy hat or two, for good measure.

Hits Galore

Musically, Shania mixed in hits from The Woman In Me, Come On Over, and Up! with new songs from 2017’s Now. The music from Now transitioned very, very well to an arena, especially show opener “Life’s About To Get Good”, and “Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed”. While Now felt different than older material when it released in 2017, the music was nothing but copacetic throughout the show. Unsurprisingly, the reaction to the new music paled in comparison to the big hits.

The excitement to hear Shania Twain sing the hits was heightened by the tour’s production value. The staging visually and literally elevated the classics. For instance, she went full on Tron (lasers and all) during “I’m Gonna Getcha Good”. The stage even brought her nearly to the ceiling during “Up!” At other moments, the 5 LED boxes, which rose, fell, and re-arranged, aligned to create scenes ranging from the interior of a bar to the open road to faraway paradises.

A Bird, A Plane, Shania Twain On A Guitar Case

As has become quasi-tradition with Shania performances, she took to the sky mid-show. She began her flight during the military salute “Soldier” from now. While she’s flown around on a horse before, this time she sat perched on a re-configured guitar case, covered with state stickers. After landing on the B-stage to get her guitar, Shania ascended again. She reminisced about the diverse ages of her fans, and how long she’s been singing some of her songs. Of course, this was all lead in to a required sing a long of her staple, “You’re Still The One”. She asked for phone lights as she sang, and the room illuminated. It was truly a highlight for the evening.

Shania Twain has come a long way in her career. While she may not be Up! where she was in 2002, she’s not one to be counted out either. Based on the stamina she showed at Saturday night’s show at the Barclays Center, she’s just getting started again. With strong vocals, diva ensembles, and a dazzling production, the Now Tour is not to be missed.

Shania Twain Now Tour at Barclays Center Setlist

Life’s About To Get Good

Come on Over

Up!

Poor Me

Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)

That Don’t Impress Me Much

Let’s Kiss and Make Up

Any Man of Mine

Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?

Honey, I’m Home

I’m Alright

Soldier

You’re Still the One

More Fun

From This Moment On

I’m Gonna Getcha Good!

Party for Two (with Bastian Baker)

Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed

(If You’re Not in It for Love) I’m Outta Here!

Encore:

Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

Rock This Country

The post Concert Review: Shania Twain Impresses Much At Barclays Center appeared first on THE 97.

Jill Scott LIVE.

Like most people, I was first introduced to Jill Scott via her hit single “A Long Walk,” in 2000. However, that was the extent of my Jill Scott knowledge until the release of 2007’s The Real Thing. I was a senior in high school and my best friend recommended that I listen to it, and I’ve been hooked on Ms. Scott ever since.

Over the years, Jill has released several live concert DVDs and accompanying albums. Truth be told, her live albums usually render their parent studio albums irrelevant. I mean… who wants to listen to the studio version when you can listen to Jill slay the same song live with a full band behind her?

However, my first time seeing her live, in person, was almost exactly two years ago, in July 2015, also at Kings Theatre. Wednesday night’s show was my third time seeing her live, and it was my favorite thus far. Let me tell you why.

Jill Scott Live: LOVE.

One of my favorite things about Jill Scott’s live shows is that will throw in random album tracks that were not hits, not specifically popular and that most casual fans probably won’t know. Yet, she’ll do it anyway. This time, she opened her set with “Be Ready,” a bonus track on her first live album.

From there, Jill bopped her way along through some of her big songs, like “Golden.” This brings me to one of my other favorite things about Jill Scott live: she will always bring you a fresh, new arrangement. This time, “Golden” had a whole lot more horns added. She made it a bit more funktified, and I got my life.

Jill Scott Live: SEX.

It wasn’t long before the show took a turn toward the naughty and nasty, set off by her 2004 classic “Whatever,” from Beautifully Human. She moved through a series of some of her most sensual songs, such as “Crown Royal” from The Real Thing, “Making You Wait” from 2011’s The Light of the Sun and “Can’t Wait” from 2015’s Woman. During “Making You Wait,” which is about making her potential boo wait until the fifth date, she joked, “you think you slick coming in here with them sweatpants on. I CAN SEE IT.” Jill ain’t never lied. We all know about eggplants and sweatpants.

Next, Jill spoke to the straight men (and, I suppose, the gay tops) in the crowd saying, “I can almost guarantee you gon’ get some tonight. You’re welcome! Maybe even on the way home, in the car… Just make sure that on the 5th stroke, you think of me, like ‘Thanks Jill!'” The crowd erupted into applause and laughter, but she wasn’t done. “Crown Royal,” understandably so, was the… well, climax, of the whole movement though.

Jill Scott Live: DICK.

After the lyric in “Crown Royal” where she so gleefully sings, “and you’re so thick, so thick…” she took a moment to pause the song for a quick shout out. She proceeded to shout out “all the big dicks,” giving an impassioned round of applause, yelling for everyone to give it up for all the big dicks. Y’all. I died. Like, actually died. How can you NOT love her? She has zero filter and is just so damn real. Like, yes, girl, let them know how you really feel. Jill has so much class, though, it still manages to somehow feel tactful. Well, almost. She went on to simulate giving oral sex to the microphone and it was hilariously raunchy… and that’s fine. It was glorious. I hope the ladies and the gays took note.

Jill Scott Live: POLITICS.

Jill also took some time to get political, with a performance of “My Petition,” a song from her 2004 album, Beautifully Human. The song is an allegory written to express her grievances to the government back in 2004… the George W. Bush years. Before performing it, she explained that she thought more people would listen if she wrote a love song to the government, and talked about reading the Constitution to add some of the very obvious allusions that exist in the song. While performing it, she played a slideshow of Black men and women who had been killed by police in America. It was emotional to see the faces of these men and women, such as Sandra Bland, Eric Garner and Philando Castile, as she sang this particular song.

Afterward, she launched into another politically charged song, where she sang, “Oh say can you see by the blood in the streets … this is not the land of the free, but the home of the slave.”  Finally, she went on to speak further about the topic, touching on immigration and the injustices against Black people in America. She encouraged the audience to work together to make a change, stressing the importance of unity.

Jill Scott Live: VOCALS.

Other highlights of the show were a personal favorite of mine, “Cross My Mind,” which never fails to send me through my feelings, the classic “The Way,” the electrifying “Hate On Me,” and the iconic showcase that is “He Loves Me.” Jill never fails to deliver vocally, and these songs always deliver are some of her best moments.

She closed the show by showing off, as she always does, with her performance of “He Loves Me.” It’s always funny to see people leave early at shows when the artist does a fake-out. The blackout and silence before “He Loves Me” was the second fake-out Jill pulled in her set; but I knew very well that she would be back. Jill simply would not put on a show without slaying perhaps her signature song: “He Loves Me.” And slay she did, hitting operatic high notes, sliding through soulful runs and riffs.

In short, seeing Jill Scott live is wholistic experience. She will send you through all of the feels associated with love and life. She does it with class, brash realness and immense talent. Get your tickets, and get your life.

The post Concert Review: Jill Scott gets sexual and political at Kings Theatre appeared first on THE 97.

In 1992, a 22 year-old Mariah Carey had much to prove. A mere two years into her career, she already notched 5 consecutive #1 singles, starting with her debut single “Vision Of Love“. She also collected 2 Grammys Awards, including Best New Artist. Despite all this success, she didn’t take her act on the road.

She made numerous TV performances and appearances, but there were no signs of a full-length show or tour in the works. Of course, this incited the critics to question her abilities as a live performer. However, her performance on MTV Unplugged in June of 1992 shut them all down. Mariah’s MTV Unplugged proved that she could deliver a flawless, full-length performance. It even found her making history.

“I feel like that special really helped my career… It was like my first concert”- Mariah Carey, 2001

Now I’ll keep it real, I was 2 in 1992, and 6 years away from discovering Mariah Carey. However, MTV Unplugged is a crucial developmental moment in Mariah’s career. As she says before her closing number “Can’t Let Go,” “you know I’m not used to doing this.” The only other multi-performance show was The First Vision, released in 1990. However, that video is intercut with interviews, so it isn’t meant to feel like a show. Her MTV Unplugged EP is nothing but music, with a few spoken interludes/introductions.

Below, I dig into a few of the seven tracks which compose Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged EP. Let me take you back…

“I’ll Be There”

The most important moment from Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged is “I’ll Be There.” It is a bit of an MTV Unplugged tradition to include a cover song in the set. Mariah includes the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There.” The song is a classic amongst the Jackson 5 and Motown catalog. Everyone knows “I’ll Be There.” Mariah performs it here as a duet with longtime background singer Trey Lorenz. The two are magic together.

“I’ll Be There” makes such an impact that fans demanded it receive release as a single. Upon the single’s release, “I’ll Be There” shot to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a feat almost never achieved by live songs. It was also only the eighth song to have crowned the Hot 100 as both an original release and a cover. To this day, it remains as an iconic moment in Mariah’s career

“Someday”

Notorious for being a song Mariah “hates,” “Someday” was her 3rd number one single. Clearly it was an easy choice for inclusion on MTV Unplugged. Due to the plugged-in nature of the studio version of “Someday,” it is a great opportunity for Mariah to strip down a song. That is, after all, a good part of what MTV Unplugged is all about.

“If It’s Over”

Perhaps the least well-known song performed at MTV Unplugged (outside of Mariah’s fan base), “If It’s Over,” was used as the EP’s second single after the monstrous success of “I’ll Be There.” With lyrics written by Mariah and the music written by her in collaboration with the iconic Carole King, the song is a vocal show out for Mariah. She had recently performed the song on Saturday Night Live and at the 1992 Grammy Awards, to much acclaim.

“Can’t Let Go”

Finally, the closer of the show stands out to me especially, because this was the first version I ever heard. “Can’t Let Go” is regarded as a fan favorite amongst Mariah’s lambs. Unlike “If It’s Over,” there’s still a chance that Mariah includes the song in a setlist these days. I love the way the piano takes center stage here, as opposed to the synth-centered studio version. Mariah always sounds great vibing off a piano (case in point, “Vanishing”). Her vocals on this version are more raw and earthy. When she hits the bridge and key change, she goes all the way off. It is the perfect finale to an iconic moment in her career.

What’s your favorite cut from Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged EP?

The post How Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged silenced her critics appeared first on THE 97.

The Opportunity

I never thought I’d have the chance to see Vanessa Williams live in concert. I’m a 20 year-strong Vanessa Williams fan, starting with her Christmas album Star Bright, and my favorite Christmas film A Diva’s Christmas Carol. For years I’ve yearned to see her perform live. When she took on the role of The Witch in a revival of “Into The Woods” in 2002, I was lucky enough to be there. Beyond that, it’s always been a dream. I am still ecstatic at scoring tickets to the taping of VH1 Divas: Unsilent Night next week which is a dream in it’s own, and then fate decided to deal me a full house.

On Monday, I caught a tweet from Union County Performing Arts Center. UCPAC is a small theatre with a capacity of less than 1500. The last show I saw there was Ray Charles in 2002. Despite the size, it pulls in some big names. When I saw that they’d be hosting Vanessa Williams live while I’d be home for Thanksgiving, my only thought was “shut up and take my money”.

The Show

Vanessa Williams shows no signs of slowing down. With a career spanning over 30 years, she’s gearing up for a new VH1 show Daytime Divas, and appearing on VH1 Divas: Unsilent Night. Tonight however, she made time to run through her extensive songbook at a small show in Rahway, New Jersey.

Vanessa takes her time throughout the show, while still switching paces and covering her vast catalog. She opens the show with one of her latest songs “The Real Thing” from 2009’s album of the same name, also her latest release. Then we go back to 1988 with a medley of “The Right Stuff” and “Running Back To You”. Nostalgic and entranced is the best way to describe the crowd, as she transitions into her first big ballad “Dreamin'” before cracking a few jokes about how old her Brian McKnight duet “Love Is” actually is.

One of my peak moments arrives next: “Colors of The Wind”. I proudly own the cassingle, and let’s be honest, I’m a 90’s baby and Pocahontas is a staple of my childhood. At this point it’s just incredible to hear how great she still sounds, especially when she reaches into her upper register on “Constantly” and introduces her stellar 7-piece band. Her voice sounds just as good as it ever did. And did I mention how flawless she looks? It’s as if the woman does not age.

She takes a few moments to spotlight her Broadway years, noting that she loves performing on Broadway because she can sing, act, and dance all in one night. After a stellar reading of Lena Horne’s seminal “Stormy Weather” and a few others, she launches into one of the most noteworthy yet unexpected pieces of the night, “Peel Me A Grape”. Her introduction for the song set it up for flawless execution. Vanessa shared that one of her favorite roles to play is Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (a personal favorite of mine). Hence, she imagines “Peel Me A Grape” as a theme for the character. With lines like “hop when I holler, skip when I snap” and “When I say ‘do it’, jump to it!”, anyone familiar with the character can attest that the song is positively Wilhelmina.

The song served as a the perfect transition back into her pop material. Finally, she took it back to the 80’s with “Work To Do”, the 90’s with “Oh How The Years Go By” and the grand finale “Save The Best For Last”.

Because the show took place on Black Friday (aka fair game for Christmas music) she made my night, returning to perform an encore featuring 2 songs from the Star Bright album. First the title track, and finally my all time favorite, “What Child Is This”. The perfect end to a stellar set, and in conclusion, the ideal kickoff to the holiday season. If you have the chance to see Vanessa Williams live, do it.

Furthermore, if finally seeing Vanessa Williams live wasn’t enough, I somehow found myself backstage after the show and got a chance to meet her. I’m still processing and reliving our moment doing diva faces while she snapped a selfie of us.

Vanessa Williams Live at UCPAC In Rahway, NJ

Set List (Click the links for our video footage!):

The Real Thing

The Right Stuff/Running Back To You

Dreamin’

Love Is

Colors Of The Wind

The Sweetest Days

The Comfort Zone

Constantly/ Band Introductions

Stormy Weather

Bill

Losing My Mind/ Not A Day Goes By

Peel Me A Grape

Work To Do

Oh How The Years Go By

Save The Best For Last

Encore

Star Bright

What Child Is This

The post Vanessa Williams Still Has “The Right Stuff” At Rahway, NJ Show appeared first on THE 97.

It’s been one week since Beyoncé strutted out on stage in Philadelphia in that black “Formation” hat to snatch my life at The Formation World Tour, and I am still hungover.

I have been a Beyoncé fan since she was slinging her original, pre-Formation braids during 1999’s The Writing’s on the Wall era. Sure, I knew “No, No, No Part 2” when it dropped in the fall/winter of 1997, but I didn’t know who sang it. It came and went. I was seven years old; forgive me, DC, for not realizing your greatness then. A little over a year later, I came into the light with the release of “Bills, Bills, Bills” in the spring of 1999.

Fast-forward to 2001’s TRL Tour: my first time seeing Destiny’s Child live. Obviously, this was also my first time seeing Beyoncé live. I can’t even begin to explain what my 11 year old self was feeling on that night, but in short it was glorious. Since then, I have been to every tour Beyoncé brought to New York, solo or with Destiny’s Child…

1. The TRL Tour (2001)? 
2. The Ladies First Tour (2004)? 
3. The Destiny Fulfilled & Lovin’ It Tour (2005)?
4. The Beyoncé Experience (2007)?
5. The I Am World Tour (2009)? 
6. Live at Roseland (2011)?
7. The Mrs. Carter World Tour (2013)?
8. The On the Run Tour (2014)?  
9. Made In America (2015)?
10. The Formation World Tour (2016)?

Regrettably, the only (nearby) event I missed was her Revel mini-residency because, well, it was 2012, and when tickets went on sale I was a broke senior in college doing student-teaching by day, classes in the afternoons, and working part-time at night. My coins were not in formation… that, and, I hate Atlantic City. Oh, and 2013’s Made in America because I had to work ?. I regret both. I repent. Forgive me, Bey.

Anyway, for the Formation Tour I decided to go all out (well, within reason) for several reasons. First, because for once my coins were in Formation, it wasn’t that difficult to get tickets (Mrs. Carter was hell on earth) and I had a bunch of friends who wanted to go as well. Second, because she decided to add two extra shows in New York and I have no self-control. Third, and most importantly, because with “Formation” she made one of her most important statements to date and the fact that she was capping it off by being a fierce, independent, Black woman headlining her own stadium tour ALONE deserved to be seen multiple times. So, I bought tickets for Philly, both Queens shows, and the newly added New Jersey show in September. I was judged, but ask me if I give a fuck? Don’t hurt yourself…

Let me explain why: money can’t buy happiness, but Beyoncé concerts sure do provide it. Now, I am not about to give her all of my coins to stand in the Beyhive Pit. More power to those of you who can and have, but quite frankly, as much as I love her, that price downright offends me because it’s utterly unnecessary. I paid $383 in 2005 to meet Destiny’s Child, sit front row, and I got a t-shirt, lanyard, and signed photograph. I spent under $300 to stand in the front rows of the Roseland shows on two different nights. I’d have to spend probably $2000 to get all of that at this tour. Sorry, Beyoncé, but no. I hope in the future she just makes a regular GA pit at her shows, like at Roseland. I am happy to sit and wait 12 hours to get my desired place in the crowd, but I will not give you $2000 of my hard earned money. I could, if I wanted to, but it’s about principle. I want to be successful too, Beyoncé, and I know you didn’t drop $2000 to see Janet, Prince or MJ live when you were a common folk, sis. Please reconsider them prices. In the meantime, I’ll stick with going to 4 shows for less than the price of one Beyhive ticket and get my life four times over…

A point which brings me to The Formation Hangover. It. Is. Real. You might have read my girl Jordan’s post about her experience at the Chicago show, and all of the feels it sent her through after. Well, multiply that by three and then cube it for good measure and you’ll arrive at my current state of being.

I’m not going to walk y’all through the show, because, again, Jordan already did that and you should really go experience it for yourself if you haven’t already. If she already came and went from your city, girl, now would be the time to take a road trip or hop on the next plane. JetBlue is probably having a sale. Hell, perch on Spirit Airlines. It might be basic but once you are in Bey’s presence you’ll feel glorious. Go. Just go. I swear to you, you will not regret it – but you might regret missing it once you watch the inevitable DVD.

Though, I don’t think any recording of it will give justice to the wonders of The Formation World Tour. It was truly the best production Beyoncé has ever put on for one of her solo tours (DF&LI still is my favorite, if we include DC tours). Stadium shows are a challenge, and while the On The Run tour handled the challenge well enough, The Formation World Tour and its giant box was on a whole other level. That box might look basic but it’s like a giant box of tricks. You never know what’s going to pop out of that thing. It was such a genius way to handle the immensity that is a stadium concert. It made the show accessible to the entire audience, no matter your seat. Quite frankly, if you weren’t on the floor, she was too far to really gaze upon her with your own eyes anyway. I might as well have been up in the sky for $60, in hindsight.

Not only was the production flawless, but the setlist was pure perfection. The way she weaved the songs together flowed seamlessly both musically and thematically. It was one showstopper after the other. Each song was a downright slay and they just kept on coming. Through each Act of the show, she took us through the ups and downs of her catalogue, but it always ended on a positive note; with love. The vocals were powerful, the choreography was electrifying and the costumes were fierce. However, for sure, the highlight of the night, and rightfully so, was the conclusion with “Freedom,” “End of Time (Grown Woman Remix)” and “Survivor” being performed in a pool of water before she brought the house down with “Halo.” It was purely mesmerizing to watch Beyoncé and her fleet of female dancers perform in the water while she belted out “Freedom.” Then, when she flipped into “End of Time,” it went from being emotionally moving to a commanding slayage. King B stomped her feet and the music rose out of the speakers like some sort of Creole voodoo. Praise her.

The Formation World Tour is like an outer body-experience that fucks up your entire physical and mental being. I went to three shows over the span of four days, and spent about 12 hours in the car to achieve all of it. That, combined with the amount of dancing, “singing” and stanning I did… exhausted my mind and body …and left me perpetually starving. Beyoncé took all my energy and recovery has been a challenge. I still haven’t been able to have a proper rest. Hopefully, I can get some much needed sleep and go back to normal… until September 7th, when I go through it all over again at MetLife Stadium.

As a long time fan, I am so proud of Beyoncé. She went from singing at her mom’s hair salon, to selling out multiple dates in stadiums. She is on her way to having one of the most successful tours in music history, and, if she wanted to, could sell out even more dates. The show she created is perhaps the most intricate spectacle I have ever witnessed. I was telling everyone that they must see this show – even my friends who only casually like her. It proves that she is unparalleled and deserves all of the praise she receives as the best entertainer of our generation. Without question, none of her peers come close. The Formation World Tour cements that fact. I applaud Beyoncé for her growth and success. I never knew 17 years ago, that the 18 year old girl who was the lead singer of my favorite group would become the powerhouse that she is today, but I am so glad to have witnessed her stratospheric rise to the top. So, yes, if I could, I would do it all over again. The hangover is well worth it.

The post The Post-Formation Hangover: How Beyoncé snatched my life appeared first on THE 97.

The doors of Webster Hall opened promptly at 10pm. By 10:45, the room was crowded and the temperature was going up. By 11:15, the crowd was sweating and getting impatient. Finally, shortly after 11:30, Emre Türkmen and Mikey Goldsworthy took their positions on each side of the stage. Then, Olly Alexander’s vocals filled the main room of Webster Hall with the first line from “Foundation”, the opening track off Years & Years’ debut album Communion. After delivering the first few lines, he slowly slinked his way to the stage in a skin-tight, white mesh shirt and flag-adorned sweat pants.

For a show that was branded “After Dark” and “presented by Governor’s Ball” with a (scheduled) start time of 10:30pm, I admit that I did not expect a set list as extensive as we were gifted. They played 11 out of the 15 original songs on their debut album Communion, and a mashup of two covers. If that’s not getting your money’s worth for a $25 show, I don’t know what is.

The energy in the room was nothing short of dynamic. Olly proved that he is a tried and true front man throughout the show. His ability to both feed off of and into the audience’s energy during the performance was magic and moving. Literally moving. Throughout most of the show, especially during peak upbeat moments, the crowd was so active that the floor shook.

Song after song, Olly sang and danced and the audience sang and danced right back, unwaveringly. Whether it be singles such as “Take Shelter”, “Shine”, and “Real” or album cuts “Gold”, “Ties”, and even deluxe edition bonus track “I Want To Love”, the room was a giant sing-a-long dance party. They put their own spin on Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”, and seamlessly re-arranged it to fit their musical style. Even better, they seamlessly integrated Drake’s “Hotline Bling”.

One fan even got the experience of a lifetime during the sole down-tempo moment of the show. She had a sign asking to sit next to Olly while the band performed “Eyes Shut”. He jumped into the crowd, brought her up, and sat her down next to him as he poured his heart out and played the piano. The show closed with their latest single “Desire”, followed by a performance of “King” the audience was so loud, Olly took out his ear piece because he clearly had no chance of hearing himself.

After the show, the street was mobbed with fans overflowing from the venue. It was a clear that many of them (myself included) wanted a moment of face time with the band. Clearly the guys had the right idea of rushing out and hopping into a car. You know you’ve made it when you can’t do post-show impromptu meet-and-greets because there are too many fans lingering.

What’s better than getting a good set list? Being less than 50 feet away from a band you love, who are playing an incredible set in a venue half the size of one they sold out 8 months ago, and who played to a crowd of thousands the day before.

Setlist:

Foundation

Take Shelter

Worship

Border

Shine

Eyes Shut

Dark Horse/ Hotling Bling (Katy Perry/Drake mashup)

Ties

Gold

I Want To Love

Real

Desire

King

The post Concert Review: Years & Years at Webster Hall appeared first on THE 97.

Dear Las Vegas, et. al,

Before fellow Mother/Divas Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and others perched themselves in Las Vegas to earn some coin and build their legacies, Toni Braxton was there – in 2006. Unfortunately, her stint was cut short due to medical issues and being incapable of performing. Since then, Toni has released two albums and performed countless concerts around the world, cementing her status as one of R&B’s iconic figures.

Last night, I was fortunate enough to attend my fourth Toni Braxton concert. I’m going to keep it short and sweet (like her set’s run time, honeyyyy…) and say simply that Toni never fails to put on an entertaining show; packed with hits and great vocals. However, the reason that I say Las Vegas should be begging Toni to do another residency is because she is such a humble and engaging performer – and that is perhaps something she picked up in Vegas. I have never been to a more interactive show than one of Toni’s – and she’s done this every time.

She invited a man on stage to sing with her for the Babyface duet “Hurt You,” invited two moms and a hipster up for a sing-a-long to “Another Sad Love Song,” brought an adorable elderly man on stage and sat on his lap for giggles, and then closed the show with “You’re Makin’ Me High” joined by 12 moms from the audience, dancing and singing along. Not only that, but for “Breathe Again,” she spent a good four minutes walking through the crowd and taking photos with fans. She even sat in their seats for the photo ops. It was hilariously adorable. This is the perfect sort of show for Las Vegas and would be sure to attract concertgoers there.

Or hell, why does it have to be Las Vegas? Other venues elsewhere have started doing residencies, too. The Beacon Theatre in New York hosts Mariah Carey for a Christmas residency, and Madison Square Garden has a long running Billy Joel residency going on. Surely, it might be happening elsewhere, too. Someone, for crying out loud, give Toni a residency SOMEWHERE. You are missing out on a prime opportunity.

If not, I hope Toni embarks on a proper tour and soon. I was wishing so badly to be down in the orchestra for a chance to take a photo or run on stage with Toni.

All of that aside, it was a wonderful show musically, too. Toni pulled out the classics (and slayed them) and even a rarity like “Shadowless,” which she dedicated to a fan she met in her “favorite store” HomeGoods. Said fan told Toni that the song helped her cope with her husband being away in the military. A touching sentiment, Toni dedicated the song to that fan and all men and women in the service. As well, perhaps to show some love to Brooklyn’s own Biggie, she busted out a few bars of “Big Poppa” after faking us out with a “Between the Sheets” cover. For videos of that, “Shadowless,” and more, hop over to our Facebook page (and make sure you Like us!). Check out the concert setlist below:

1. How Many Ways*
2. Seven Whole Days*
3. You Mean the World to Me
4. Another Sad Love Song*
5. Just Be a Man About It*
6. How Could an Angel Break My Heart
7. Shadowless*
8. Spanish Guitar
9. Un-break My Heart*
10. He Wasn’t Man Enough*
11. Between the Sheets/Big Poppa*
12. I Love Me Some Him (I think; I can’t remember where it went, it was super short)
13. Hurt You
14. Let It Flow*
15. Breathe Again
16. You’re Makin’ Me High*

*Denotes a video on our Facebook page!

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In the 21 years since the release of her 1994 original, and now classic, holiday anthem “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey has slowly but surely made herself a ubiquitous part of the Christmas season. Or, shall we say, we have made her such. Most prominently since the song’s ten year anniversary in 2004, she has begun to pop up each holiday season to celebrate the festivities and remind us of her timeless classic. About since the same year, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has danced around the top spot of Billboard’s Holiday charts.

So, it is only fitting that, in 2014, she kicked off an annual Christmas residency at perhaps the most festive city in the world: New York. The spectacular residency calls the Beacon Theater home, and last night, its reigning holiday diva made her glorious return to its prestigious stage.

Perhaps feeling the pressure of tradition during this most traditional time of the year, Mariah stuck to the old sentiment of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and kept the setlist exactly the same as the year prior. Aside from minor changes in arrangements and new vocal ad-lib moments (it’s all about the moments, dahhhling, after all), the show is indeed a repeat of 2014. Would we have enjoyed some new songs added to the set? Of course. However, the repetition gave that certain sort of warm and fuzzy familial feeling that comes with other holiday traditions. Like with our favorite old songs and favorite old movies, we know what to expect and we like what we get. Imagine, you heard she performed “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” in 2014, and came to see it in 2015, and she didn’t do it? You’d be upset, I am sure. So, in that way, Mariah’s unchanged show aims to be yet another irreplaceable Christmas tradition. So, please, Mariah, don’t take anything away… but feel free to add more.

1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
2. Charlie Brown Christmas
3. Oh Santa!
4. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
5. Silent Night
6. Joy to the World
7. When Christmas Comes
8. Here Comes Santa Claus
9. Christmas Time Is In the Air Again
10. O Holy Night
11. Emotions
12. We Belong Together
13. Hero
14. All I Want for Christmas Is You

Of course, then, there is the question of her many naysayers: how did she sound? Well, first, let me say that if you are going to walk into the show expecting to hear 20 year old 1994 vocals performed in a studio by a 24 year old, you will, of course, be disappointed. However, if you are a realistic person with any semblance of sense and humanity, you will go into it expecting to hear what is the reality: it’s 20 years later, she’s 45, and no, she doesn’t sound the same. Guess what, though? She still sounds great and better than 95% of anyone who could be considered her “competition.” Did she avoid attempting some challenging moments written into her originals? Sure, but such instances were few and far between. Aside from these few instances, Mariah went for it, gave it her all, and delivered a great vocal performance that will only improve as the residency goes on and she becomes more comfortable. By the eight night, undoubtedly she’ll be prancing around the stage, sleighing in the name of the “One Child” himself.

She began with “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” for an understated, and eventually bombastic, impressive opening number. Flawlessly transitioning from that more traditional religious moment, she moved into “Charlie Brown Christmas,” which begins with the classic Peanuts piano tune and a celebratory moment on stage. The uptempo fun continued on the energetic “Oh Santa!” followed by “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” a cover that many now attribute to be her own. “Silent Night,” which isn’t one of my favorites on CD, makes for another beautifully impressive performance.

“Joy to the World” is the first standout moment of the night, as she kicks it off with its famous piano-and-vocal intro where she really just goes for it vocally. Following “Joy,” is her new, should-be classic “When Christmas Comes” from her second Christmas album. Personally, it’s one of my favorites and I was really excited to hear it again – so much so that Mariah took note and pointed at me, saying something to the effect of “I see you know this one, huh?!” and proceeded to sing the entire first verse to me. At least, you know, that’s how it felt to me (she was definitely looking in my direction after pointing me out – all I’m saying).

After “Christmas Comes,” then Santa comes to town for her hip-hop inspired “Here Comes Santa Claus/Up on the Housetop” groove. Santa came to stage carrying presents, because, after all… Mariah and Santa are old pals. Last year, Santa twerked, though… this year, he didn’t, however he was a much more legit in appearance this year.

Another favorite from Merry Christmas II You, “Christmastime is in the Air Again,” came next and Mariah effortlessly sang her way through this jazzy number. The night seemingly came to a close with the ever-appropriately show-stopping “O’ Holy Night.” Following the traditional classic, she took the stage to perform a few of her non-Christmas classics: “Emotions,” “We Belong Together,” and “Hero.” Of these, “Emotions” is the standout for its fun energy and effortless vocals. “Hero” was, as usual, a touching moment and Mimi teared up herself.

Finally, she of course closed the night with her signature Christmas classic that started it all: “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Complete with a snowman, teddy bear and a slew of other holiday characters, she took the stage to reaffirm her status as the Empress of Christmas. And, since Elsa was nowhere to be found… Mariah took it upon herself to “Let It” Snow. Confetti was not enough, dahhhlings, it’s Christmas, and Mariah had to make it snow! She did promise, after all.

So, indeed, if you like Mariah’s Christmas music, or just Mariah in general… you must go see this show. If you love Christmas, go see this show. Not only does it feature great vocals and some great songs, but it also is wonderfully festive and entertaining… without a doubt, it will put you in the holiday spirit.

The Queen of Christmas even freestyled a new Christmas song live on stage, “Christmas in New York”:

The post Mariah Carey sleighs her Christmas Residency at NYC’s Beacon Theater appeared first on THE 97.

Over the weekend I jokingly came up with this ridiculous idea: go stand outside the show with a sign that reads “Hello from the outside. At least I can say that I’ve tried.” Hysterical, no? I mentioned this to a colleague at my full time job, who thankfully had the perseverance to get me to get some poster board and make it happen, along with his help. We never could have guessed our result.

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Last Monday, September 21st, Michael Mott held yet another showcase of his latest Pop and R&B songs at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall. Once again, the composer was accompanied by a versatile band, a trio of talented background singers, and show-stopping group of lead vocalists including Brad Greer, Heather Little, Natalie Weiss and Loren Allred of The Voice fame.

Several months ago, Mott and Allred came into acquaintance and Mott very wisely selected her to sing at one of his showcases back in June. You might remember our Spotlight of the show then. The songstress brought the house down with her performance of Michael Mott original, “So Relentless,” which she performed again last week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzQIwVqfiuA&feature=youtu.be

Since then, the pair seem to have built a mutually beneficial working relationship and thus found themselves together once again, on the same exact stage, at last week’s show at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2. When Loren performed “So Relentless” yet again,- however, she improved her rendition vastly in comparison to June’s. The real breakout moment, though, was a performance of a previously unheard Mott original, “Single City.”

A clip from last night. “Single City” written by @michael_mott !

A video posted by Loren Allred (@lorenallred) on Sep 22, 2015 at 1:48pm PDT

The impassioned ballad is metaphorical with its double meaning, highlighting New York City as a “single city” that offers one so much opportunity, yet at the same time it’s a very “single city” – home to lots of lonely people; loneliness is a product of it’s vastness. The clever and beautifully written lyric was expertly executed by the immensely talented Loren Allred in its debut performance. It was a perfect pairing of beautiful song, and phenomenal voice. She stole the stage, the night, even, with her flawless performance of the track. A consummate professional, despite the small setting, she made it seem as though you were watching a superstar in a big arena, yet somehow still keeping the intimacy of the venue, and song, intact. Allred evoked the presence of divas like Ms. Carey, know for such thoughtful lyrics like Mott’s, and a voice as captivating and engrossing as Beyoncé’s. Due to a tremendous demand post-show, the pair plans to hit the studio to record the track for release.

A video posted by Michael Mott (@michael_mott) on Sep 22, 2015 at 5:05pm PDT

Via one single song, on one single night, in one “Single City,” it seems as though a perfectly promising pairing has been realized in Loren Allred and Michael Mott. Every songwriter needs a muse; a coalescing compliment… and every diva needs a super songwriter who can write songs that will masterfully showcase her superstar voice. Mariah Carey’s career blossomed from such a pairing with her first long-time cowriter Walter Afanasieff, and continued to find such bonds with collaborators like Jermaine Dupri, and James “Big Jim” Wright later in her career. Janet Jackson flourished via her partnership with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, beginning with 1986’s Control, and always remaining loyal to the writing/production duo.

Needless to say, we anxiously await the release of “Single City,” and any future collaborations between the two. It may very well be that Loren Allred found her own Walter Afanasieff in Michael Mott. On the same token, perhaps Mott has finally found his own Mariah.

In the meantime, watch performances by Brad Greer and Natalie Weiss from Mott’s showcase last Monday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkfEzf4H1VU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrMWbkqMD28

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