This weekend I saw Bilal at Blue Note Napa. It was a masterful and mellow evening, and also, my 100th concert.
My love of live music is ancestral. Intergenerational. Inherited, to say the least. When I was 6 my older cousin took me to the Scream Tour II at the Oakland Arena featuring B2K, Lil Bow Wow and Mario. Five years later, at 11 my dad picked me up from school one day and took me to see Stevie Wonder at the Sleep Train Pavillion in Concord. Just two years later, my mom took me to see Chanté Moore at Yoshi’s Jazz Club Oakland. 97 concerts later, after seeing artists like Kendrick Lamar, Robert Glasper and Beyoncé, I’ve cultivated my own deep appreciation for live music and robust opinions about what makes for an excellent show.
Performance Quality Can you put on a show, honey? This looks different based on the artist and their catalog, for example, Anderson .Paak’s catalog has plenty of high-energy songs that keep you on your feet, accordingly, that man is practically sprinting throughout his show: dancing, yelling, drumming, waving to the crowd, cracking jokes and still vocally robust; his is a show with heavy crowd engagement and activity. Conversely, FKA twigs’ show is overall more mellow, befitting her mostly mid- to slow-tempo catalog. But her shows are still engrossing: there’s a multitude of dance styles including pole, hip-hop and modern, plenty of outfit changes that feature breathtaking costumes and props, and like many electronic artists, a lightshow that emphasizes special music moments throughout the show. Overall, I want to be entertained when I see an artist. I think the worst possible outcome is leaving a show and feeling like I might as well have watched the performance on my couch via YouTube; I want to leave a show and feel like I was a part of something special and human. Some performance quality standouts I’ve seen are Nikka Costa (she excels at executing top notch vocals while grooving and engaging the crowd; her live storytelling is magnetic), Kindred the Family Soul (these two are adorable; their onstage chemistry is heart-melting and compelling), as well as Anderson .Paak and FKA twigs, as mentioned above.
Vocals + Music Quality There is nothing worse than paying good money to see an artist you enjoy only to discover that their voice is best left filtered through careful, studio-quality production. While the occasional vocal crack can lend itself to emotional authenticity, failing to stay on key multiple times in a show or warming up vocally on stage is a quick way to make me regretful of my attendance. Moreover, it is always obvious which live bands rehearse and which ones are flying by the seat of their pants. I like bands tight—seamless transitions, carefully crafted harmonies, artful and moving solos; it’s nice when artists demonstrate careful consideration of their fans’ time and money by preparing high-quality vocals and music. Some vocal and music standouts I’ve seen are Hall & Oates (Darryl’s voice is still as smooth as it is on 1975’s Sara Smile), Bilal (the man will be intoxicated but the vocals will be on point!), and Hiatus Kaiyote (Nai Palm & her background singers have their notes down to the millisecond, vocals at their shows are ferociously well-executed).
Location I’ve seen many artists make the mistake of booking the venues they can sell out as opposed to the venues that best fit their music and performance quality (I’m looking at you Mac Ayers and Doja Cat). Larger venues require higher quality shows simply because there is a bigger space to fill, physically and mentally. Artists who execute the best live shows are aware of what they have to offer, whether it’s vocals or performance quality, and will seek a venue that allows them to excel. Musiq Soulchild is one of my favorite examples of this: the man can sell out stadiums, I’ve seen him at them and he does fine, but often, when he tours he incorporates a mixture of mid-size to small venues which is where I feel he shines: when the band is tight and he can easily engage the crowd. He’s not a powerhouse vocalist, but his voice can certainly fill the right sized space. Another great example of this is Robert Glasper, who has the stage presence to tear down large venues but still often visits mid-size and small venues where his music, moving and delicate, can be heard and savored best.
Sound Quality A quality audio system will become apparent within minutes of a live show. Are vocals louder than music? Are speakers static free? Is the music as crisp in the very back of the venue as it is in the front row? It’s simple and obvious. But surprisingly, some shows still don’t meet expectations on the arguably most critical aspect of a live show. I’ve found this is an area that mid-size venues struggle with the most—small venues are able to troubleshoot quickly as artists can communicate easily from the stage, and stadiums invest in high quality sound systems. This is an area I mostly see challenge rappers: they often perform over tracks (yikes) that are too loud and drown out their vocals.
Intimate venues can afford the right artists opportunities to demonstrate skillful vocals and quality music arrangements while engaging warmly with the audience.
I don’t necessarily rank these aspects in order of importance because every music fan is different, every night is different, and every album is different. But I do think it’s worth considering what a fan wants out of a performance before buying tickets to a show as inflation wreaks havoc on the touring industry (Ticketmaster, your days are numbered). Quite frankly, some artists are simply not worth the cost of their tickets, but if one’s ultimate goal is to share space with other fans and experience the, truly transcendent, moment when a room full of people share one heartbeat, who am I to judge? Personally, my plan this year was to slow down my concert attendance, and yet I’ve got another 12 shows planned before 2023 is out. Live music has been a source of joy in my life from childhood: it’s a special privilege to have the time and money to invest in entertainment, and I’m grateful to (almost) every artist I’ve seen over the years. I’m also grateful to my family, who taught me that live music is a worthy investment. Cheers to more enjoyment!
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Kyra's Immortal Longings: Life As It Comes 
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