Musicians:
Meshell - Bass
Chris Dave - Drums
Allen Cato - Guitar
Jon Jon Webb - Bass
Michael Cain - Keys
Oliver Lake - Sax
Kebbi Williams - Sax (Normally sits in with Meshell on Atlanta shows) He used to play with Oteil Burbridge.
Jahi Sundance Lake - DJ

Set List:
1. New Tune #1 (Very Fela Kuti-esque)
2. Love Song #1
3. Come Smoke My Herb
4. Red Planetary Earth ? (An Oliver Lake and Meshell piece)
5. Heavy Spirits (Started with a very cool Drum-n-Bass program...Chris played on top of it and then took over...Killin' Stuff)
6. Quentin Mack
7. Papillon - Only Meshell, Michael Cain, and Chris Dave played on this.
8. Fellowship
9. Luqman
10. New Tune #2 written by Chris Dave. It grooves really hard. It ended with an edgy rock thing happening.

In between some and at the beginning of some of the tunes portions of Malcolm X's speeches were played.

There was also an after party and concert at "The Compound." I don't have any details on that.

if i wasn't so broke all of the time, that would've been the show i would've flown out to see wow...

thanks for the info

Thats what i was waitin for...some details on this show...

yeah m i'm with ya, believe me if there was any way i could've made a trip to Atlanta for this one i would've..

thanks for the info MQ!

anyone else who was lucky enough to attend have any reflections on this show to share? How was the vibe, the crowd?

Hey Family,

Vanessa here...I was blessed to be in the sanctuary during MeShell's Emory U sermon. I have never missed MeShell perform in Atlanta, and I can say without a doubt that this perfromance was one of the most sublime I've ever experienced. The musical offerings this particular night were mind-numbing it was so good. YOu know how you get chills when music hits you just the right way? Well, it was hittin right all evening. I was in a head-noddig, cold-sweat from start to finish.

I can hardly explain it...just know that is was some good ish and if She brings the Experience even close to where you reside, please don't sleep on it.


Peace and Blessings,

VJ

Hey Vanessa,
I was there too and ur right, it was mind-numbing. I think a friend of mine used those same words. U may have seen me. I'll give more details on my experience later right now I need to get some sleep.

very cool, thanks for sharing that ya'll.

I always enjoy hearing the different perspectives of folk's personal experiences at concerts. What 'hit you real good' and why. Its just interesting to me to hear how various elements can move different people in similar and different way, you know?

anyway thanks again for sharing vanessa!

and donn looking forward to hearing more details on your experience at that gig as well...
goood stuff!

(hmmm...after looking at the tourdefunk area i am now seriously thinking about planning a 'family trip' to New Orleans in July..say around the 2nd...hmmm i wonder if there might be any concerts around that time that i might wanna see...heheh...)

First, I’m happy to announce that not one flash went off during her performance. The only flash I got in my face was a theater light bouncing off her bass.

Someone said that she don’t dance… Well, let’s put it this way… She cud move!!!

Cuts of bob marley speaking were played before a song (or two?)

Derek I think the crowd was mostly in awe.
As far as the audiences reaction I didn’t pay much attention becuz I was so melted into what was going on musically but something’s just stood out like this woman who was apparently sitting behind me to the left. She made wonderfully funny comments such as “Go ahead drummer boy” and eggin’ on Me’Shell like she was her junior high school daughter performing for the second time.

Peeves
There was some feedback a few times and this horrid noise coming from – I think her bass or the amp? Not sure. It seemed to bother Me’Shell at first but I guess since nothing could be done about it at the time she didn’t worry about it. The audio guys should have turned up the gain and/or brightened Me’Shell’s mic a little bit. Being that her speaking voice and her singing voice are very different they should have had 2 different settings. That means they would have had to work a little bit more but hey.

Review
Well let’s see, I just started coming off my high from the concert a few days ago. This is my very first Me’Shell concert ever… I know, I know… Where the hell have I been all of ten – fifteen years? I wish I had a good answer.

I was very impressed with the DJ, Jahi. I liked the choices of music he played before the band came on and I liked how he was used within the framework of the live set. Very fitting.

Anyway, she walks on stage just so with her back kinda turned toward the audience. After the first song she took off her jacket revealing that famous white t-shirt – not the wife beater – the short sleeve. She then asked for the lights to be turned down or something to that effect. As she stepped to the mic her hands rubbing down the center of her chest one following the other repetitively she asked us to excuse her as she was attuning herself to the theater. I thought that was so cool. I think hearing her voice helped relax the crowd cuz the next 2 songs (Love Song #1 & Come Smoke My Herb) put us in a laid back rocking mode.
On some songs Me’Shell would start playin’ a bass line and then Jon Jon would play along with her then she’d take off her bass and hang out while the others played. Enjoying her own creation. I was mystified. She stood bathed in a pathological euphoria without a hint of pride. Pure thankfulness – not just for her own talent but also for the talent she shared with those on stage and for the souls that were penetrated by it. Oh, sorry. Kinda go lost for a moment there.

Well, with some of those instrumental songs it was like the drums beat u into a mind altering state as the horns elevated ur consciousness to a rhythmic guitar that dropped u on the keys that set u adrift of a fluent bass line, and time was lost.
Only ta be brought half way back by the sound of her voice.

She stopped ta talk ta us and let us know what was going on.
“I figure I’d talk to u for a second just so u know what’s goin’ on. They asked me to come hear to do and show what I’ve been getting into so hmm, I lot of stuff u hear is instrumental cuz ah I’ve been doin’ a lot of improvisational music that I’ve written with Oliver, and Christopher, and Michael and it’s called The Spirit Music Jamia. And it’s a album release (correcting herself) it’s out but it’s a foreign release so some of the stuff u hear is from that all right? So, incase u curious.” ~Me’Shell

The music played on and before we new it she was walkin’ off the stage so I jumped out of my seat (I was in the front row center mind u) without thinking and walked up to the stage and called out ‘Me’Shell’. I thought it might have taken more effort then that to get her attention but no… She turned my way and smiled as she reached the edge of the stage and accepted my gift of incense (thanks guys) and took my other hand while a few words were exchanged. (Don’t ask cuz I won’t tell) Vanessa, did u see me?
On my way back ta my seat everyone was on there feet applauding her and the band as they left us with our own sound of gratefulness. And we stood there to command them back to the stage. I think two more songs were played and at the end Jahi introduced the band on their final exit.

Derek I’m tryin’ ta make my way down ta New Orleans for that festival. I’d love ta meet u down there. Let me know what's up.

Let me first thank Derek for mentioning the possible "family trip" to New Orleans for the festival. I didn't even know about it until your post and thanks to you I have just purchased my tickets for the festival just Friday and Saturday. I can't wait to see SMJ. I saw the Montreaux video and it was off-the-chain! Is anyone else going to be there?

Michelle

awww yeah...

excellent review donn...i felt like i was there too. Thanks for sharing that! i tell ya the more i hear the more sorry i am i missed this one. It sounds like another for the recordbooks...

so donn, this was really your first Meshell show huh? whew...i wish i could explain all that you've been missing all these years...seriously the most amazing shows i have EVER been to are all all Meshell gigs. mezmerizing stuff. but it sounds like you got a little taste of how amazing her live experiences can be at this one. She and her crew are consistently mindblowing. Thanks again for sharing your own experience...

hey michelle, glad you found out about the New Orleans show!

hey love-spell, see the link below (& TourDeFunk as well)... Meshell is slotted to play on Saturday at the Essence Music Fest...

http://www.essence.com/essence/emf/


who knows, maybe i'll figure out a way to go to this one and we can all catch up with each other...never been to New Orleans but have only heard great things...guess i'll start saving my pennies now

A friend of mine hipped me to it...but thanks. I'll definitely be there. This will be my first time seeing her perform so I'm really excited. KEM will also be there and his shows are really smooth....u should really try and check this out. I live only 45 minutes from New Orleans so, if you decide to come up, let me know....I just need to warn you about Louisiana weather that time of the year--ITS HOT!!!

Hey love spell. I'll be there Friday and Saturday. This will be my second time seeing her perform, the first was at Kimball's East in the Bay Area. This will also be my second time coming to New Orleans. Last time I came a week before Mardi Gras. I hope to see some freemyheart people at Essence. Thanks for the warning about the weather. I'm flying in from Northern California and the weather here is very unpredictable so it's good to know somebody that lives in Louisiana so I can get weather updates maybe the closer July comes.

Michelle

Just give me a shout! It would be nice to meet you. I've been to Essence only once before.....I normally catch Jazz Fest instead. New Orleans is the happening place year round so, it'll be plenty to do and see. Keep in touch

you pwn.

i couldn't seem to get my expensive s**t link to work...it plays 1 scond at the beginning and stops. Probably due to the fact that i'm on dial up?

i hope to switch to cable next month, hopefuly linke will stil be active then so that i can enjoy.

thanks for sharing though! looking forward to checking this out some day!

MQ5 thanx for the link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tight


derek, the link works for me... maybe you should try saving it and then playing it ?

you can't save it... it's a stream :\

they're coming next week to switch me from a dial-up to cable connection...so if the link is still posted by then, then i should be able to check it out too...lookin forward too it...

Hello all

i have just returned from the new orleans essence festival and caught two performances by spirit music, well actually i went to see them in oakland at yoshi's for two shows before i went to new orleans and all four shows were awesome. i was completely mesmerized by mr. chris dave. i got to the first show in oakland a tad bit late, so as you can imagine there wasn't hardly anywhere to sit but they found space for me about four rows back from where jahi was. the second show, my mother-in-law and her church buddy met me and our seats were right on the side of chris dave, i mean so close that i sit my drink on the stage border. at first we were a bit skeptical being so close, but man let's just say my mother-in-law(if she could) would totally leave her husband of 25 years for chris dave. meshell was in her own world rockin the scarf around her head and then neck. i was so happy that she got a lot of positive energy for both shows and no one shouted out for her to sing. at one point when she was explaining the type of music being played some guy shouted out do whatever you want and she laughed and was like okay and then when she was going to continue to talk, she got flustered a little and just said we just gonna play the next song. it was funny to see the interaction between her and chris like they have their own language and meshell was just smiling and laughing away. i think i must've counted 10 laughs. after the first show, jahi, chris and meshell came out and hung out in the lobby chattin with people and i got a chance to say hello to meshell and talk a little bit with oliver lake. the second show seemed a little bit more mellow than the first and i think i have just turned my mother-in-law into an smj groupie now.

the two shows at essence were only a little over an hour long each 9:45 to 10:45 and then 11:15 to 12:15 but i think they went a little bit over on the second show. the second show coincided with the destiny child's show, so i was a little apprehensive as to how many people would be there, but it was a nice sized crowd and only one idiot next to me yelled sing! so i had to explain to her that this is jazz and not songs from comfort woman. i was standing once again by chris dave and leaning against a huge speaker so i can feel every vibration, it was heaven until the same girl wanting meshell to sing kept asking me questions as if meshell and i were relatives. is she still gay? why does she have that scarf on? what kind of music is this? she got on my last nerve and after a while she disappeared leaving me to enjoy the rest of the show. oliver lake was wonderful as usual as was i believe his name is sean jones who was in the middle of lake and ron blake and can i just say that ron blake is the cutest thing the way he danced around when they played al falaq and i believe his name is gilmar gomes on percussions made me want to go salsa dancing if i knew how to. the second show was a wee bit smaller crowd as you have to understand there were all kinds of music going on all through the superdome that all coincided with spirit music jamia's show. at one point during the second show chris dave became possessed and drumming so fast and everyone just stared in awe and we all looked at each other like dude is sic and meshell was shouting to him feel free just be free and he started laughing. i will try to post pictures later but all i have to say was damn good shows, damn good band just damn good!

i forgot to add that coincidentally mint condition was also playing at the same time as spirit music. i believe chris dave played drums for them once upon a time.

quote:

Originally posted by Stuart:
Expensive Sh*t

okay, i'm trying to figure out the music jahi is playing at the beginning... i've heard it before but can't quite remember it. does anyone know what it is?

quote:

Originally posted by Stuart:
Expensive Sh*t

Just seeing this for the first time. ANyone know how to convert a stream to avi, mpg or something? this is nice.