After seeing Musiq and Ledisi on Sept. 18, I checked out Amel Larrieux on Sept. 19. I think that’s the first time I’ve done back-to-back shows.
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to make it to work following a Thursday night show (and going to the club afterwards), I took the day off and spent it chilling and preparing for Amel. I didn’t do anything special – just got the eyebrows and feet done. J Nothing like a little pampering to make your day better.
Amel Larrieux is a Yoshi’s regular – she performed there last year. This go around, her shows were sold out for all three nights. After this experience, I can see why.
There were two main reasons I went to see her – my friend asked me and I enjoy being able to leave the house every now and again. The only Amel album I own is Infinite Possibilities and I don’t know it that well. I’ll put it on when I’m sitting at work trying to focus – which means I’m not listening really close to the lyrics.
Amel’s music is truly mellow, and her show was the same. She funked up some songs, but for the most part, listening to her was like lounging in a hammock next to the beach under a full moon on a warm night – relaxing and peaceful.
Her voice sounded sharp and she had a great rapport with the audience. A lucky 9-year-old girl had the Amel Larrieux version of happy birthday sung to her; she recognized those in the audience who belong to her official Web site Bliss Life and she even asked an audience member if they had been at the show last year. I thought it was cool of her to remember seeing someone from so long ago.
As she sang, it was obvious she really feels the words behind the music. Her backup singer, Amina, was in sync with her every step of the way and their voices blended together well. The rest of the band was on point.
Thinking on her feet, Amel gave three sections of the audience three different parts of a song to sing. You could tell she made it up, but it flowed well with the show.
Her personality was engaging and at the end, I was delighted I got to experience her performance.
Me
- Soul Sista D
- Bay Area, CA, United States
- Music wakes me and keeps me going all day, every day. I’ve had a love for music since childhood, and it’s only intensified as I’ve matured. Musings On Music was inspired by Kenny Lattimore. I saw him perform in 2008 and realized there was something in his music that spoke to me on a level which said I needed to write about what I witnessed. I’ve been writing ever since.
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