On the second day of the BET Experience at L.A. Live, I decided to watch the various acts performing on the main stage of the convention center. Each of the acts performed short sets to give the audience a sampling of what their music was all about.
The second act I was able to catch was Jonathan McReynolds; a contemporary gospel artist who ministers through music. His music is a fusion of R&B, jazz and gospel.
His set seemed shorter than the others, but he was still able to able to touch the audience with his message and, as he joked, made them feel okay about missing church that Sunday.
On the second day of the BET Experience at L.A. Live, I decided to watch the various acts performing on the main stage of the convention center. Each of the acts performed short sets to give the audience a sampling of what their music was all about.
The first act I was able to catch was LiV Warfield, a powerful R&B vocalist and member of Prince’s New Power Generation. Prince is high on LiV, and the public should be too.
Passionate, soulful and dynamic, her live performance is one that engages the audience and gives everyone a serious case of happy feet. It certainly didn’t hurt that she was supported by a first class band (with Prince’s NPG Hornz).
I was duly impressed with her set, and I highly recommend catching her perform live when she is in your town.
Hosted by the former Rap City and 106 & Park host Big Tigger, perhaps my favorite part of the BET Experience FREE Fan Fest was the intimate afternoon of performances at the Acoustically Speaking showcase. Taped live in front of an audience of not more than 300, the performances and interviews gave me an opportunity to “Experience” the sounds of some seriously talented, developing and established recording artists.
Each artist performed a short set of 4-5 songs. Each performance was followed by a one-on-one interview with Big Tigger. The performances and the interviews gave audience members an opportunity to really connect with each of the artists. It was truly a one of a kind performance experience.
Closing the Acoustically Speaking showcase was Tank. Clearly, his performance was for the ladies. As he walked on the she stage in his fitted, all-black, three-peice suit, the females in the audience erupted with pleasure. Clearly, he knows how to cater to his audience, even interrupting the performance by walking off-stage to give a zealous fan a hug.
But perhaps the most genuine moment of the set was when he gave his young daughter, sitting two rows behind me, a shout out and preached that he does what he does for the women (his daughter and his wife) in his life. In a fit of approval, his daughter went HAM with cheers of approval. Cuteness overload.
During his interview with Big Tigger, he dropped some updates on the projects he was working one, giving the audience of females a chance to cheer some more with his announcement that TGT (his collaborative musical efforts with Tyrese and Ginuine) was in the process of putting together another album.
Hopefully, BET will air the entire performance and interview at some point, but in the meantime, CLICK HEREto check out what video clips have been posted on BET’s website.
By this time in the day, my second (and last) battery pack was running on empty. My camera intermittently shut off while I was shooting this performance, and I didn’t really have time (or the battery) to set the camera to the right settings, so I shot with whatever setting my camera was already set at. I wish the photos could have been better, but I guess I’ll have to live with them. Next time, I’ll remember to bring a THIRD battery pack. LOL.
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
KCRW has once again curated a summer concert series with talent overflowing. Inspired by The Annenberg Space for Photography’s newest exhibit,“Country: Portraits of an American Sound,”which will be on display through September 28th, 2014, KCRW’s “Country In The City” Concert Series brings to Los Angeles a country music line-up that any Nashville resident would be proud off.
Kicking off the concert series with Sturgill Simpson, KCRW brought a brand of outlaw country music that has had critics raving since his debut 2013 album, “High Top Mountain”. Since then Sturgill has been going at it hard, touring relentlessly, recording his follow-up album in four days, and releasing “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music” in May of 2014, gaining more and more fans along the way.
Perhaps it’s his gruff voice. Perhaps it’s his passionately effective lyrics. Perhaps it’s his unassuming and down-to-earth honestly. Whatever “it” is, it seems to be working.
Sturgill took the stage with his band (Miles Miller on drums, Kevin Black on bass and Laur Joamets on Guitar) and immediately announced to the audience that he was honored to be opening for Gregg Allman. After powering through the first song, he earnestly apologized to the audience for being less than 100%, promising the audience that he was still going to, “hit it hard, and try to get to 90%”.
His “country” humor came out when he introduced “Long White Line,” stating, “This ones for the ladies …. That’s bullshit. It’s all for the ladies”, and afterwards he introduced his band members, noting that his guitar player, who was effortlessly strumming country licks, Laur Joamets, was from Estonia.
“Just keeping it real,” Sturgill smirked with a sly look to his players.
He mixed in a little bluegrass, and some covers. Before playing his cover of Lefty Frizzell’s “I Never Go Around Mirrors” noted that this time last year when he played “the Hotel Cafe, there was 20 people there.” A look of appreciation beamed from his grizzled face as looked into the audience.
He even gave the audience a little history behind several of the tunes. For example, before closing the night with “Railroad of Sin”, he explained that when he was starting his path as a songwriter, his wife said that he had to have a song with a train in it cause every country artist had one. When it was all said and done, and before closing the set with “Railroad of Sin,” he told the audience how lucky they were to have Gregg Allman coming up proclaiming that, “That ain’t no bullshit.”
Happy he was going to have the rest of the evening off, he joked that he and the band usually stayed sober after gigs in order to travel to the next venue … but not tonight.
I certainly hope you had a chance to unwind Sturgill. You deserved it.
(Approximate) Setlist:
Sitting Here Without You
Water In A Well
Long White Line
Poor Rambler (Carter Stanley cover)
Medicine Springs
Life Of Sin
Living The Dream
I Never Go Around Mirrors (Lefty Frizzell cover)
Railroad Of Sin
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Annenberg Foundation
Hosted by the former Rap City and 106 & Park host Big Tigger, perhaps my favorite part of the BET Experience FREE Fan Fest was the intimate afternoon of performances at the Acoustically Speaking showcase. Taped live in front of an audience of not more than 300, the performances and interviews gave me an opportunity to “Experience” the sounds of some seriously talented, developing and established recording artists.
Each artist performed a short set of 4-5 songs. Each performance was followed by a one-on-one interview with Big Tigger. The performances and the interviews gave audience members an opportunity to really connect with each of the artists. It was truly a one of a kind performance experience.
The only rapper to perform at the Acoustically Speaking showcase was Talib Kweli, a Brooklyn-bred rapper who started his career collaborating with Mos Def as the collective, Black Star. Accompanied by two horns, a upright, string bass, keys and a guitars, his performance was filled an energy and vibrance that you don’t often get from hip-hop/rap concerts nowadays.
Perhaps one of the more eloquent rappers in the game, Talib Kweli’s interview with Bigg Tigger touched on some of the social topics that he is known to support, like the influence of hip-hop culture on society at large. The interview was as good as the performance, and trust me, the performance was fire.
Hopefully, BET will air the entire performance and interview at some point, but in the meantime, CLICK HEREto check out what video clips have been posted on BET’s website.
By this time in the day, my second (and last) battery pack was running on empty. My camera intermittently shut off while I was shooting this performance, and I didn’t really have time (or the battery) to set the camera to the right settings, so I shot with whatever setting my camera was already set at. I wish the photos could have been better, but I guess I’ll have to live with them. Next time, I’ll remember to bring a THIRD battery pack. LOL.
Hosted by the former Rap City and 106 & Park host Big Tigger, perhaps my favorite part of the BET Experience FREE Fan Fest was the intimate afternoon of performances at the Acoustically Speaking showcase. Taped live in front of an audience of not more than 300, the performances and interviews gave me an opportunity to “Experience” the sounds of some seriously talented, developing and established recording artists.
Each artist performed a short set of 4-5 songs. Each performance was followed by a one-on-one interview with Big Tigger. The performances and the interviews gave audience members an opportunity to really connect with each of the artists. It was truly a one of a kind performance experience.
The third artist to perform brought the house down. Faith Evans, a grammy award winning, singer-songwriter, is finishing up her 8th studio album, tentatively titled Incomparable and which is scheduled for release later this year, brought so much fire to her short set, the crowd couldn’t handle it, and was the only artist of the afternoon who was cheered onto the stage for an encore.
Faith’s set consisted of songs new and old, mixing up her set with R&B jams and ballads and an original gospel tune. After the performance of her gospel song, when she was called back onto the stage to perform an encore, she jumped into her classic “Love Like This”, during which she encouraged some of her audience members to come onto the stage to dance and sing with her.
After the crowd had settled down, and the interview commenced, Big Tigger stated as a matter of fact that Faith’s performance, “went from the church to the club in less than five minutes.” It was true and it was awesome to bear witness.
Hosted by the former Rap City and 106 & Park host Big Tigger, perhaps my favorite part of the BET Experience FREE Fan Fest was the intimate afternoon of performances at the Acoustically Speaking showcase. Taped live in front of an audience of not more than 300, the performances and interviews gave me an opportunity to “Experience” the sounds of some seriously talented, developing and established recording artists.
Each artist performed a short set of 4-5 songs. Each performance was followed by a one-on-one interview with Big Tigger. The performances and the interviews gave audience members an opportunity to really connect with each of the artists. It was truly a one of a kind performance experience.
The second artist to perform was Alice Smith, a recording artist whose musical styles are anchored in rock, R&B, blues, jazz and soul, and whose latest album, the 2013 release “She” is a powerfully, emotional album that shines a light on all of her musical leanings. I love the eclectic nature of the album, and it’s one that I intend to pick up on wax if I can find it somewhere.
After her set, the videographer I was sitting next to and I looked at each other an nodded in approval with her performance. If we were both duly impressed, I’m sure you will be too. Hopefully, BET will air the entire performance and interview at some point, but in the meantime, CLICK HERE to check out what video clips have been posted on BET’s website.
Hosted by the former Rap City and 106 & Park host Big Tigger, perhaps my favorite part of the BET Experience FREE Fan Fest was the intimate afternoon of performances at the Acoustically Speaking showcase. Taped live in front of an audience of not more than 300, the performances and interviews gave me an opportunity to “Experience” the sounds of some seriously talented, developing and established recording artists.
Each artist performed a short set of 4-5 songs. Each performance was followed by a one-on-one interview with Big Tigger. The performances and the interviews gave audience members an opportunity to really connect with each of the artists. It was truly a one of a kind performance experience.
This was my first time listening to her music, and based on what I learned of her through her interview with Big Tigger, I could really feel how much emotional capital was invested into her music. Her struggles, her triumphs … her life … was all on display, and it was a revelation. Hopefully, BET will air the entire performance and interview at some point, but in the meantime, CLICK HERE to check out what video clips have been posted on BET’s website.
James Supercave is a five piece alternative rock band based out of Los Angeles. I made an effort to beat L.A. traffic to make it up to the pier in time to catch their set. After all, if KCRW’s Jason Bentley listed this band as on of the top “5 LA Musicians to watch in 2014”, I wanted to see/hear what the rave was all about.
Insofar as they’ve only release one EP, their setlist wasn’t too long, but each of their tunes provided an impressive punch. Their sound is hard to describe. Maybe a more pop inclined Modest Mouse that utilized more electronic elements? Maybe a sprinkle of The Flaming Lips?
Maybe its a disservice to try to compare them to another musical act. After all, they are a new band and still have room to develop and expand upon their sound. All I know is that I really enjoyed what I heard. The music was breezy and eclectic. A very appropriate sound to open a summer of music on the Santa Monica Pier.
#DKLPHOTOS 