It was nostalgia. Recognising the songs. Knowing that I’ve heard them but not really knowing them. It took me back to the time when I was a little child in the kitchen listening to what mother was playing on the LP player.
It was cool to see Ali Campbell and his UB40 live. Even though it was outside, and it was raining. The warm reggae music kept us warm.
Obviously, I recognised the big hits and could sing along to I Can’t Help Falling In Love, I Got You Babe and their version of Purple Rain. But the one I was really waiting for was Red Red Wine.
The song mother recorded on a tape back to back, on both sides. Those were the times 90 minutes of Red Red Wine. Surprisingly, or not, I do like the song. And a glass of red now and then.
D’Angelo is coming to Europe I heard. Oh that’s nice but I saw him in 2000 and he was great. It won’t be the same thing. He’s older, probably won’t have the same energy. I didn’t want to ruin the memories. So I didn’t get any tickets.
Then I heard of the extra concert and oh well, why not. He started the tour in Stockholm and closed it in Stockholm at the Filadelfia church. A funny venue but it was all right.
So there I was Friday night. The supporting act, Swedish soul singer Aleks sang a few tracks. Not bad at all but there was something missing. Back-up singers. Then there was a long wait. So long I started wondering if D’Angelo would really show up. More than an hour later and after lots of cheering, soundcheck. Playa Playa and he was there. Feels Like Makin’ Love. And then Devil’s Pie and Chicken Grease. Definitely, he still got the energy. The six-pack may be gone but he’s still hot. To die for.
Yes, I’ve seen the pictures of him not looking so good, so hopefully he won’t get back to that. I really hope he’s back now because the world need some good music. It was nice hearing some of the new songs and I’m looking forward to the album.
But hearing his old songs was like reliving one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to in 2000. And when he lighted the cigarette, everybody knew, Brown Sugar. And playing one single note to the beautiful Untitled (How Does It Feel), which the whole audience was waiting for. After that one note he stopped, took a breath and continued playing the piano to the part just before he’s supposed to start singing and he stops again. Teasing. He stands up, leans against the piano, puts his face in his hands. Emotions. Yes, he did go back and finished the song.
He might have been a little late but it was absolutely worth it. So worth it. I’m happy I saw him again and if I get the chance I’ll do it again. Because after listening to Brown Sugar and Voodoo, the only two albums released, the tracks sound so much better live.
Music is always better when it’s live and 2011 has been a big year for me. Earlier this year I saw Sade, Adele and Blackstreet. And this summer, which is now over or is it still late summer, has been filled with music. Music makes my world go round.
It started with Busy Signal in July. Two days at the festival Way Out West in mid August. A night of hip hop in late August.
Highlights
Waiting for Prince (I have seen Prince) to come on stage. An unbelievable moment to see a legend like him, even though I’m not a big fan. And when he played Purple Rain and the air was filled with purple confetti.
Wiz Khalifa’s energy and cuteness. And that he got the crowd dancing to a house track at the end leaving the stage without hardly anyone noticing because we were all dancing.
First Janelle Monae and then The Hives, both in black and white, getting the crowd to sit down.
Feeling like I was 15 again jumping to Swedish hiphopper Petter’s 90s hits. Så Klart, Vinden Har Vänt, Mikrofonkåt.
The Streets being on their last tour. Brits are among the funnest people. And why I love that country so much. Mike Skinner was great, fun, crazy, joking and telling off some guys in the crowd that were fighting.
Disappointments
Busy Signal should have come back out for an extra. Santigold excusing herself for having a cold. T-Pain.
Kanye West. My direct reaction was disappointment. He performed his hits, he talked a little bit and that was it. It was the third time I saw him so expectations were higher than they should be. But then it feels like he promises a lot and considering he was headlining…
In reflection he was all right. It was good but he should have come out for an extra number. Can’t be easy to perform the night after Prince. Runaway was his best of the night, very emotional. Til next time!
It’s something different when you see musicians perform that have been around for a while, which I truly appreciated when seeing Sade Tuesday night.
I had the chance to see the amazing Sade perform live and I would do it again. Only thing is that it might be in another ten years time or so if they ever decide to tour again.
Now, that it’s been made clear to me that Sade is also the name of the band and not just the beautiful singer Helen Folasade Adu, I have to give credit to the band who’ve stuck together for so many years. Even though it’s the singer’s voice that I love.
So soothing, so serene. Perfect to relax and listen to before falling asleep, which did worry me a little bit. What if… but no, it wasn’t possible, it was a breathtaking performance. One of the best.
The deepness of her voice, the sax and guitar solos, the visuals with the curtains covering the stage (see image).
All the great hits and the new tracks. Not much talk between the songs, no need for it. She was very sweet and I was awestruck by her beauty. At 52 she’s a well conserved woman. No Madonna or Whitney Houston.
And no fuss about clothes, no spectacular outfits, just nicely tailored sophisticated pieces. The heels were changed to pumps then to bare-feet.
Favourite song? Don’t ask because there are too many. Best of the night? They were all good but the ones that stood out were Pearls, Sweetest Taboo with Sade bare-feet in a long white dress and red bra, Smooth Operator with an introductory video clip, great stage setting and was then followed by the mind-blowing Jezebel.
I was touched, it touched all my senses and definitely my heart – it was a night filled with lessons in love.
Expectations. Something I try to keep to a minimum but it all depends on the occasion. It can often result in disappointment. But I knew, Adele with her great voice, would be so much better live. Listening to her at home, I told my mum “Just imagine her singing live.”
So, yeah this time I had high expectations, and only realised it when my friend told me she didn’t expect her to be that good. We all got goosebumps and I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.
She’s got a remarkable talent and I love her Cockney accent. When she talks, she’s just like any other London girl. I was wondering how it would be in between songs, remembering her youngish street yet mature style from being a commentator for X Factor’s Xtra Factor. She was very down-to-earth, cussing, joking and speaking her mind.
The night before the show she’d been to a bar, Vassa Eggen, telling she got very drunk and was the only one dancing to Beyoncé. And later she said that she still can’t work out what to do with her body when singing her more uptempo songs. She was very funny getting the audience laughing several times and it was fun to know about her personal experiences, the reasons why she had written some of the songs and who and what they were about.
Daydreamer, about her first love. Take It All, about someone she hates. My Same, about a friend she fell out with, which she’s friends with again now and that she normally doesn’t perform it but was fun to do it now. I actually had it as my ring signal a while back so I was very happy to hear it.
It was Adele’s first time in Stockholm and I actually don’t know how famous she’s in Sweden. Hearing the people around, I heard some German, French, English and English with foreign accents. And maybe that’s why she was in such a small venue. Still, it was sold out.
I absolutely loved it. It could have been a bit longer. One hour wasn’t enough for me and she could at least have come back out for one or two extra songs.
Still, I can’t wait for the next album and the next tour. At only 21, greater things will come for the amazing Adele and I’m keeping my expectations high.
Adele performing one of my favourites, Hometown Glory. Such a perfect song to start with.
It all started with sweet innocent forbidden flirtation. It turned out to be unresisting hot desire and maybe love. End of story.
They left the hood – Fun fact: it’s the same setting for Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane, one of my favourite shows – for the luxurious beach resort.
And Nelly seemed to have grown a bit but since they’re on a sandy beach, Kelly probably isn’t wearing any heels.
So, I went to visit a friend and coincidentally Blackstreet happened to be in town for a concert. And why not? Very exciting.
Haven’t cared much about the recent reunions and comebacks but it’s been going on for a while now so it’s almost weird for a band/group/artist not to make a re-appearance.
But I was very positive about seeing Blackstreet even though I wasn’t really into them back in the day. They were the cool guys.
Obviously, I remember the big hits No Diggity, Fix and then there was Joy and Don’t Leave Me.
And on the day of the show they delivered. There were abs, roses and a girl on the stage. It was fun. A bit short. But then, there were only three of them? Wonder what happened to the fourth one.
Lady Gaga did it again. She stole the show. And it will happen again. And again.
People are still talking about the meat dress she wore for the VMAs last year. I know, because my post about it, is still getting hits. It was a shocker.
This time, it was at yesterday’s Grammy Awards where she won three of them.
Arriving in an egg carried by four men. Did anyone expect that? Another shocker. But she, or they, had five months to come up with it. Now, she’s gonna have to make these shocking moments way more frequent. The pressure is on. People won’t be expecting anything less.
Lady Gaga waited until her performance of Born This Way to be ‘born’ out of the egg. Not bad, not bad at all. The performance and the song that is. As for the clothes, they were animal-friendlier.
Radio. I still listen to it, but mostly online nowadays. Love it because I’ll hear music that I otherwise wouldn’t listen too. So the other day I started reminiscing the 90s when i heard Lynden David Hall’s Sexy Cinderella on my favourite BBC 1xtra.
Remembering those late nights watching MTV Amour. I probably should have been asleep by the time it was on but fell asleep after it instead.
Good old days drowning into the sexy, silky, smooth sounds of those love songs. Amour was one of my favourite shows being a big MTV fan as a teen. After The Lick!
Every Wednesday night, 10p.m. I was glued. The Lick – Trevor Nelson, his voice, the sofa. And the music of course.
That’s what they used to do on MTV, play music videos, lots of them. They still do, don’t they? (on the extra channels I think like MTV2, MTV Dance, MTV Base)
Trevor Nelson, we salute you, then he got rid of the sofa and I started losing interest. I moved to the UK and his British accent wasn’t that special anymore.
I listened to him on the BBC 1xtra Breakfast Show but now he is only one good DJ among many other. Thanks CJ Beatz for bringing back some Old Skool on Sunday.
Amour and The Lick have both had a big impact in defining my taste for music and what I listen to today.
Another video often played on Amour and so great it had to be added to this post.
