Concert Reviews

REVIEW | Sing, Dance and Praise at One Hallelujah Tour 2024 | Raleigh NC

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Raleigh, NC came ready to sing, dance and praise at the One Hallelujah Tour, a worship event celebrating some of gospel music’s greatest voices and a chance for everyone to come and witness One Sound | One Worship | One Hallelujah!

This highly anticipated concert features the amazing gospel music of Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Jonathan McReynolds, Erica Campbell, Israel Houghton, and Jekalyn Carr! Here’s how the wonderful idea came together:

Produced by Live Nation, the 25-city tour kicked off on March 6 at MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston making stops across the U.S. in New York, Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, Houston, and more before wrapping up in San Francisco at YouTube Theater on April 21. I attended the concert on Wed Mar 13 — Raleigh, NC — Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts …and was blown away by the musical arrangements, the singing or as we say “sanging” , the community, the fellowship and overall powerful performances given by each artist.

Get Ready for One Hallelujah Tour 2024

TOUR DATES + TIX INFO

You don’t wanna miss when the ONE HALLELUJAH TOUR 2024 comes to a city near you, so here are the DATES:

Wed Mar 06 — Boston, MA — MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Thu Mar 07 — Philadelphia, PA — The Met
Fri Mar 08 — Brooklyn, NY — Kings Theatre
Sat Mar 09 — Washington, D.C. — The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Tue Mar 12 — Charlotte, NC — Ovens Auditorium
Wed Mar 13 — Raleigh, NC — Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Fri Mar 15 — Miami, FL — James L. Knight Center
Sun Mar 17 — Jacksonville, FL — Moran Theater
Thu Mar 21 — Indianapolis, IN — Murat Theatre at Old National Center
Fri Mar 22 — St. Louis, MO — Stifel Theatre
Sat Mar 23 — Memphis, TN — Orpheum Theatre
Sun Mar 24 — Cincinnati, OH — The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Thu Mar 28 — Evans, GA — Columbia County Performing Arts Center
Fri Mar 29 — Atlanta, GA — Coca-Cola Roxy
Sat Mar 30 — Birmingham, AL — BJCC Concert Hall
Thu Apr 04 — Chicago, IL — Chicago Auditorium Theatre
Fri Apr 05 — Detroit, MI — Fisher Theatre
Sat Apr 06 — Columbus, OH — Mershon Auditorium
Sun Apr 07 — Nashville, TN — Opry House
Tue Apr 09 — New Orleans, LA — Saenger Theatre
Wed Apr 10 — Houston, TX — Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Thu Apr 11 — Dallas, TX — The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Fri Apr 19 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Financial Theatre
Sat Apr 20 — Los Angeles, CA — YouTube Theater
Sun Apr 21 — San Francisco, CA — The Masonic

🎟️ Buy Tickets via Ticketmaster: https://www.ticketmaster.com/one-hallelujah-tickets/artist/3089932

THE ARTISTS

Hailed as the Top Gospel Artist of the Decade by Billboard, Tasha Cobbs Leonard has built her career on larger-than-life performances and powerhouse vocals that will get everyone dancing on their feet. On her new album, HYMNS, Leonard goes bigger and bolder than ever before, reimagining classic hymns of love and grace with a series of sweeping, ambitious arrangements that draw on everything from worship and gospel to country, pop, and R&B.

Jonathan McReynolds has maintained an incredible voice and a beautifully honest approach to songwriting. He made his way from dorm room performances to Christian music’s biggest stages.

Erica Campbell is an American Gospel singer, songwriter, talk show host, and First Lady. Specializing in the urban contemporary gospel , Christian R&B, and contemporary R&B genres, she started her music career in 1998 with her younger sister, Tina Campbell, as part of the group Mary Mary.

Israel Houghton is a GRAMMY award-winning American Christian music recording artist, songwriter, producer, composer, worship leader, and multi-instrumentalist who formed Israel & New Breed, a music group and ministry organization that has produced gold-selling albums. ***I first saw him live with Kirk Franklin on The Reunion Tour (In case you missed it, check out my review of that concert >>>>>here.)

THE MUSIC

It’s really hard to pick one favorite gospel song or moment from the One Hallelujah Tour because everyone did such an amazing job! However, I’m sure you’ll leave the concert happy to have heard your favorite songs and excited to discover some new ones. Get ready for the overflow of music that’s not only good for the soul but from the soul and from the source. This music will grow your faith and are truly love songs for the Lord.

Listen >One Hallelujah Tour Spotify Setlist

RECAP

👀WATCH YouTube Video here:

One Hallelujah Tour | RECAP by SobeSavvy.com @SobeSavvy

REVIEW | @Godsmack #VibezTour Rocks Durham, NC @DPAC @LiveNationNCSC

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If you enjoy live music that rocks and rolls, thrills and sends chills to your soul, then you must experience Godsmack • Vibez Tour, an intimate evening of acoustic/electric performances + untold stories from Godsmack with special guest Bastian da Cruz!

On Friday, March 08, 2024, fans came to see the band perform at Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), located in Durham, NC for a memorable, magical and miraculous night of music. For almost 30 years, Godsmack has an amazing way of connecting with fans on what they are going through in life and how we all can have our spirits lifted up with their songs. This is a very unique concert experience unlike I’ve experienced from the moment you step in the venue, the “Vibez” were set:

How Godsmack sets the mood on Vibez Tour

In continued support of their latest studio album Lighting Up The Sky, multi-platinum Grammy-nominated hard rock band GODSMACK is transforming their thunderous pyro-filled amphitheater rock show into a more intimate experience. The band is set to deliver a series of intimate evenings featuring acoustic/electric performances and untold stories in theatres across North America.

With over 20 years of chart-topping success, GODSMACK have cemented themselves as 21st-century hard rock titans. To date, they’ve accomplished a staggering 11 #1 singles at mainstream rock radio and have achieved 20 Top 10 hits at the format (the most of any act since February 1999). Additionally, they’ve enjoyed four Grammy nominations and were named Billboard Music Award’s Rock Artist of the Year in 2001. Selling over 20 million records worldwide, the band has released eight studio albums; Godsmack (1998), Awake (2000), Faceless(2003), IV (2006), The Oracle (2010), 1000hp(2014), When Legends Rise (2018), and Lighting Up the Sky (2023).

GODSMACK is Sully Erna (vocals, guitar), Tony Rombola (guitar), Robbie Merrill (bass), and Shannon Larkin (drums). Sully Erna’s voice is as fantastic as ever and leaves an impact on the souls of the audience. Equally, Shannon, Tony and Robbie pour their hearts into their performances creating powerful music!

Here’s the setlist (and playlist of their hits!

1. Time

2. Love-Hate-Sex-Pain

3. Voodoo

4. Turning to Stone

5. Spiral

6. One Rainy Day

7. No Quarter

8. Nothing Else Matters

9. Serenity

10. Touché

11. Truth

12. Growing Old

13. Lighting Up the Sky

14. Under Your Scars

15. Bulletproof

16. Long Train Runnin’

SobeSavvy.com Recap Highlights #VibezTour

Columbia, SC you’re up next on March 10th! Get ready for an exciting night of live music from Godsmack. Get Tickets from LiveNation >>For more Tour Info, visit Godsmack.com >> Donate to scarsfoundation.org to support those who suffer from depression, PTSD , mental illness,etc

Check out some of my favorite moments from the concert and of you were there I’d love to hear what you thought of the show (or your fave Godsmack song) in the comments below! ⬇️

REVIEW – 🔟 Things We Experienced at #TheReunionTour w/ @KirkFranklin @TyeTribbett @DavidandTamela Mann#TheClarkSisters and #IsraelHoughton @pncarena #RaleighNC @livenation

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Tuesdays and church usually do not go together. Unless of course you joined me and thousands of others at the PNC Arena to enjoy The Reunion Tour. This contemporary Gospel tour includes superstars Kirk Franklin, David and Tamela Mann ,The Clark Sisters, Tye Tribbett and Israel Houghton.

This nationwide tour gave the audience a chance to laugh, cry, smile, shout, praise, worship and fellowship while enjoying the talented lineup, While each artists had their own sets, I really enjoyed it when they all shared the stage together to form the most magical choir ever!

I have been a fan of just about all of these praise warriors for decades. I remember growing up singing along with The Clark Sisters on Sunday mornings while I helped clean the house. Kirk Franklin always had a way with mixing the old school with the new school and making the message universal for all. Tye Tribbett ‘s energy filled the arena and beyond! He truly is a gospel rockstar, We all were in awe of Israel Houghton’s musicality and how he is able to skillfully play guitar and sing so beautifully. David and Tamela Mann came to entertain us and show how their powerful voices are just a part of their power couple formula!

Gospel music just fills the soul and spirit with a unique joy. As the king of contemporary gospel for over 2 decades, Kirk Franklin has an ability to collaborate and lead a group as well as perform on his own . This concert definitely showcases his incredible artistry as well as everyone who graced the stage. At this reunion, we celebrated all the artists, the music, and ourselves while giving glory and gratitude for our lives. No matter who you are, your age, gender, race or stage in life, there are songs that will be sung and remembered at this concert that will touch your heart and lift your spirit!

Be prepared to be up on your feet, clapping, singing, waving and even shedding some tears while enjoying an incredible show filled with so many hits. Don’t worry about not knowing the words because they have set this up in sort of a gospel karaoke with lyrics in a gigantic screen so that we can sing along (and finally get the words right—lol!) Live Nation did it again by bringing such artists together for an unforgettable night.

Please check out the link >> https://www.livenation.com/artist/K8vZ9171foV/kirk-franklin-events to see if the tour is coming to a city near you soon!

Now that you read my review, watch this recap of 🔟 Things We Experienced at #TheReunionTour! I had such a great time and would definitely recommend you check the concert out in a city near you. Here in North Carolina, CHARLOTTE is up next at the Spectrum Center in for Oct 12, 2023. Hope you go and enjoy the show ‼️

Diana Krall Thrills All @DPAC | Concert Review

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Grammy and Juno award winning jazz star Diana Krall performed at the DPAC last night during her North American Tour. Jazz lovers around the world have been enthralled with her unique delivery of jazz standards and original songs since the late 90’s.

Due to COVID, this is her first tour in almost 3 years. She performed to an almost sold out crowd as a quartet. Many singers these days need all sorts of bells and whistles so her stripped down set reinforced the fact that she is a jazz singer of the highest caliber. Her catalog of songs is so deep there was no way she could sing all of her hits. What she chose was more than satisfying. See Setlist here Diana Krall Average Setlists of year: 2022 | setlist.fm

She mentioned more than once how ecstatic she was to be back on stage and able to perform in front of audiences again. Every band member got a chance to highlight their instrument command to roaring audience approval!

TOUR INFORMATION

Diana Krall is more than a smoky voice and accomplished pianist. She is a force, a vibe and a mood. Below are the next couple of tour dates before she picks it up again on a European leg next spring.

10/16 TANGER CENTER GREENSBORO, NC

10/17 PEACE CENTER Greenvile, SC

As always, the DPAC is one of the best venues ever for seating and acoustics. It was a true pleasure to see a world class artist at a world class venue. To see who is coming to the DPAC next, check out their website at http://www.DPACNC.com

RECAP| Art of Cool Festival 2019 @AOCFest Ft. Jill Scott, Ari Lennox, Big Daddy Kane, RUN-DMC and more! #AOCFest

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Art of Cool Festival 2019 | Recap by SobeSavvy.com

Art of Cool Festival 2019 | Recap by SobeSavvy.com

Durham, NC was the place to be this past weekend (Friday, September 27-Sunday, September 29) for the 6th Annual Art Of Cool Festival also known as the AOCFest! This festival, which features great music, good food trucks,community engagement and sponsor activations, has quickly become the premiere late summer cultural experience that should not be missed!

PLAN YOUR STAY

Since SobeSavvy.com was there to provide local media coverage for the weekend, I decided to make it a workcation and checked into one of the official hotels of the AOCFest. The Aloft Durham Downtown proved to be an excellent choice with its urban style and comfort amenities PLUS it is the closest hotel to the festival’s main venue, Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Guests attending the festival were provided a special group rate if booked in advance. I definitely would plan ahead to stay here next year or anytime you want to Stay & Play in Durham!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B27LTcWn-oO/?igshid=turue3rlqx73

2019 LINEUP

Produced by The Dome Group LLC, AOCFest 2019 featured 20+ R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop, Jazz, alternative and spoken word artists at multiple venues in Durham.

FRIDAY

The Masonic Lodge is where various DJ parties were being held all weekend in one of their event rooms. DJ RNB was spinning and there was also a bar sponsored by Durham’s own Bedlam Vodka, who I had the pleasure of reviewing and sharing recipes >> here on my blog!

Later that evening, “Cooligans” were seen at the 2019 AOCFest Urban Vendor Market being held on Blackwell Street. Food Trucks along with a variety of vendors lined the closed down area. We had a few delicious shrimp tacos from @shrimptrucknc to fuel us up for the headliners at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park stadium next door.

We also did a little shopping at the 2019 AOCFest Urban Vendor Market and I purchased some organic Shea Butter products from Nailah’s Shea. I also ate chicken and waffles from Big C’s Waffles food truck. We also spotted “Thelma” from Good Times, Bernadette Stanis who had her books for sale and was taking pics with fans!

We arrived in time to see the group Black Violin were on the stage. A duo from Florida, this group takes classical violin training and combine it with a hip-hop twist.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B272CFWHcSW/?igshid=1hg7apvp2u5s5

Next up was artist Ari Lennox. She is the first female signed to J.Cole’s record label. Fans got to hear and see her perform hits from her successful album entitled “Shea Butter Baby”. Her creative singing style and bold lyrics energized the crowd. Her future is limitless and as bright as her smile!

Up next was the the incomparable Miss Jill Scott. She has been an entire industry upon herself over the past almost 20 years. Album upon album of iconic poetry tinged R&B songs captured the attention of an entire generation. Her catalog is deep and she did not disappoint. Her stage presence is simply unmatched. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand. We sang the songs with her and just showered her with love and affection for all her music means to us. Great night to kick
off the festival.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B3DlpUVnDKt/?igshid=1x3mddvoqahze
SATURDAY
A stay at the Aloft Downtown Durham allowed for me to wake up to an awesome view of Diamond View Park at the American Tobacco Campus where Power Yoga, a free community engagement event hosted by The Art Of Cool Festival, was held at 10am & 11am on Saturday. Such a great way to start the day!

DJ Fatz took us back with a “2Pac vs Biggie” during a day party at Masonic Lodge. He did an awesome job blendiing two titans of rap by mixing their hits back to back. Every lyric to every hit record was sung by the festive crowd. Realizing how we lost both so young was sobering but celebrating their music was inspiring.

https://youtu.be/oO966ZzVbZY
We headed back to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park stadium for a night full of legendary hip-hop featuring
Big Daddy Kane, Whodini and RUN- DMC. Before they took the stage DJ
Skillz showed some amazing work on the 1’s and 2’s. He played everything from old school hip to new school R&B. This man truly is in a league of his own in the DJ world.

Big Daddy Kane feat. The Symphony took the stage looking and sounding amazing! Back like he never left, he
performed as if he has not lost a step. His rapping skills go from fast to slow and he rocked the mic no matter the tempo. He was joined on stage by his Bboy dancer, his little son showed of his moves too, and the legendary Cool G Rap was there for an epic performance of The Symphony. If you ever get a chance to see Big Daddy Kane live you will see there Ain’t No Half Steppin EVER with him!

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B2-kFNQnAJ6/?igshid=cs8y664hxoo5

Next up was the group Whodini, who blazed the stage performing hit after hit such as “Big Mouth”, “One Love”, “The Freaks Come Out At Night” and “Friends”. Lead rapper Jalil did come out in his signature Zorro style hat and the ladies went wild!

By the time RUN-DMC took the stage, the electricity of anticipation was in the air. Rap was still in it’s infancy during the mid 80’s and RUN-DMC almost single handidly was responsible for rap crossing over to
mainstream America. Every successful rapper owe them a debt of gratitude. Time stood still during their set. It was as if they transported all of us back to the 80’s. Their catalog of hit records is immense. They only performed a sampling of them with “King Of Rock”, “It’s Tricky”, “Peter Piper”, “Run’s House” and many more! The crowd showed their love by coming dressed in Adidas, or rocking RUN DMC tees. Even AOCFest was selling “RUN AOC” tshirts to honor the group and he festival. RUN DMC are true icons that are rightly revered as some of the founders of Hip-Hop.

The festival ended on Sunday with a VIP Brunch featuring The Hamiltones that took place at the Durham Convention Center.

If I had one word to describe the Art Of Cool Festival 2019 it would be DOPE! Amazing weekend and phenomonal performances. The AOCFest once again proved that with the right mix of artists and audience, you can expect a dope cultural experience. 👀 Watch my full recap video for more fun highlights

For more information on the 2019 Art of Cool Festival (AOCFest), visit aocfestival.com.

Twitter: @AOCFest #AOCFest

Instagram: @AOCFest #AOCFest

Facebook: Facebook.com/AOCFest

Spotify: AOCFest Playlists

********Read previous AOCFest recap coverage >>>here

Did you attend AOCFest this year? If YES, who did you enjoy most? If NO, which artist would you have been most excited to see?

Concert Review |7 Fave Moments That Happened at #TheMillenniumTour #PNCArena #RaleighNC

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The Year 2000 was memorable for 2 reasons. Unfounded Y2K fears and awesome music. If indeed 1999 was going to be the end, it was going to end on a high musical note. R&B music had alot of fresh new artists who topped the charts over and over again. These artists have now joined forces for The Millennium Tour! All of my favorites from back in the day were on stage at the PNC Arena here in Raleigh,NC on Friday, 3/29/19.

B2K, Mario, Lloyd, The Ying Yang Twins, Pretty Ricky, Bobby Valentine and Chingy owned the music charts during that time. So many of us was excited to see them all and relive some good music memories. The arena was packed and the energy was on 10! Overall, I thought the concert was incredible and here are 7 Fave Moments That Happened At The Millennium Tour:

1. Doing The “Chickenhead” Dance When Chingy Performed ‘Right Thurr’


Chingy got the party started as the first act that hit the stage at The Millennium Tour. In addition to performing his classic hits like ‘One Call Away’, ‘Balla Baby’ and ‘Holidae Inn’, fans in the audience got a special visual treat when they showed thw videos from back in the day that go with the songs. What really got the crowd hyped was his hit “Right Thurr”. Raise your 🙋🏽‍♀️ if you used to do the ‘chickenhead’ dance!

2. Seeing The Romantic Side Of Bobby V

Bobby V or you may remember him as Bobby Valentino came ready to sing and remind us all to “Slow Down” and enjoy some good R&B music. You could tell he is still very passionate about performing and his voice, songwriting and piano skills is missed. The ladies got a special treat at the end of his set with a romantic gesture of roses given to some of the women in the audience. Awww 🌹🌹 so sweet of you Bobby V!

3. Singing A Duet Of ‘You’ With Lloyd From My Seat

Hi, my name is Leslie and I ❤ Lloyd.  Recently I watched him on the TV show “Unsung” and learned even more about this artist, so I was hyped to see him perform live! He made his appearance to the stage from the audience which made for a nice entrance! He not only sang his hits like  “Southside”, “Get It Shawty” but he also played the guitar while singing his latest song “Caramel”. But my favorite song to sing along with him as a duet (in my head) is “You”. So when that jam came on, me and everyone else was happy to sing right along with him.

4. Getting Crunk With The Ying Yang Twins

The Ying Yang Twins brought some energy (and laughter) to the stage. You can just tell they were ready to move the crowd and have a good time. Nobody was scared to “shake it like a salt shaker” and everybody kept the party going from “the windows to the wall”! The Ying Yang Twins surprised us with the remix version of “Right Thurr” and brought Chingy back out to the stage. They showed up and showed out and reminded us Ying Yang in this thang!

5. Seeing The Freaky Side Of Pretty Ricky

Warning! Parental Discretion should be advised when Pretty Ricky hits the stage. Fellas get ready to take notes and Ladies make sure you have something cold to drink for this part of the concert because things are about to get hoooootttttt🔥!  When Pretty Ricky and their dancers came on stage and performed “Grind With Me” you knew this part of the show was for the Grown and Freaky and I loved every bit of it! Took me back to when I lived in Miami, Fl from 1996-2015 and every club, radio station would play “Your Body”, “On the Hotline” and of course “Grind On Me”.

*******SobeSavvy Tip: Pretty Ricky Fans can have the opportunity to enjoy a VIP Meet & Greet in select cities during the tour. Here are the dates:

6. Witnessing the Evolution of Mario

Like Mario, I was born and raised in Baltimore, so I am always routing for the hometeam! Moving to Miami at the age of 23 did not make me forget where I came from but just gave me two places to love. To hear Mario perform and see his career evolve from singer to being in the live production remake of “Rent” and his current acting role on the popular tv show, “Empire”  is a proud Baltimorean moment for me!
His sharp stage presence, and precise dance moves, along with his amazing dance moves gave his show a polished feel. He obviously hits the gym very often and it showed when he “lost” his shirt to the delight of all the women in attendance. When he sang his biggest hit “Let Me Love You”, so many of us women screamed to take him up on his offer to be more than “Just A Friend”.

7. The Reunion of B2K

What we all had been waiting for but never thought we would see….the reunion of all of the original B2K members! For a 3 year stretch, this popular boy band group was hot on the charts, they filmed a movie and won lots of awards. Their music videos, style and dance moves had millions of people on their journey to a successful and long career. After 15 years, Raz-B, (Lil)Fizz, (J)Boog, and Omarion came back to “Bump,Bump,Bump” like they never left!

Fans got served at The Millennium Tour with amazing vocals, and choreography from B2K as well as solo performance from Omarion, who had a string of hits like “Touch”, “Ice Box” and “Supposed to Be” as a solo artist.  I was not familiar with the song “Distance” by Omarion and have now added that tune to my Afro/ Tribal beats playlist. Nothing like going to a live concert and discovering new music to enjoy. If you haven’t heard it..get into it y’all! And definitely get your tickets to see history remade with the reunion of B2K!
*******SobeSavvy Tip: Fans can get a chance to enjoy #B2KVIPExperience during The Millennium Tour! Check it out>>> here!

*******👀 WATCH my YouTube Video >>here
and check out #TheMillenniumTour hashtag to see more favorite moments from the concert!

Have you seen the tour or do you plan to go in your city? Let me know in the comments below what was your favorite moment of the concert or favorite memory of any of these performers and their music when you were growing up!

*******For more tour information, visit www.gsquaredevents.com

Event Recap | The Art of Cool Festival 2018 – 5th Yr Anniversary @aocfest #AOCFEST | by SobeSavvy.com

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The Art of Cool Festival 2018 has come to a close, but we here at SobeSavvy.com was fortunate to attend and share with you some of the magical moments from #AOCFEST. There has been so much growth since we attended the Art of Cool Fest in 2015, and I am so glad to be apart of highlighting this amazing festival. This past weekend, we celebrated the 5th Anniversary of this great music festival that brings jazz-inspired music, artists and all the Cooligans together in Downtown Durham, NC. Trust me, you don’t want to miss next year!

This year the AOCFEST experience was expanded to include Jazz, R&B, Hip Hop and Soul performances by renowned artists from around the world! 20+ artists, 6 venues, 1 price to enjoy: Live Music Concerts, shop from local vendors at the Urban Street Market, dance, mingle and network at the various Day Parties, savor Durham cuisine from the featured Food Trucks and quench your thirst at the Beergarden. The AOCFEST 2018 truly had something for everyone. It’s an amazing sensory experience you must see, taste, hear, and feel!

DAY 1- SEPT 28

The fun began on Friday with the arrival of music lovers to Downtown Durham. Festival goers could shop for some official merch at Wristband City, grab a cocktail, and listen to live music at various pop ups and attend free Innovate Your Cool seminars / workshops focused on Innovation, Music and Culture. I caught at DJ set on the rooftop at Unscripted Hotel where The Lux Blog held a meet-up mixer to welcome everyone including bloggers/social media influencers to the Art of Cool festival. It was a vibe!

Downtown Durham is a walkable city and the perfect place to host the AOCFEST because all the venues are conveniently within walking distance to each other. Just a couple of blocks over from Unscripted, I was able to catch MeShell N’degeocello at the Carolina Theater. She is a talented singer and musician who reminded us in the audience that although the lighting was not ideal, MUSIC. IS. SOMETHING. YOU. FEEL. She took us down memory lane by singing her funky smooth renditions of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam “I Wonder If I Take You Home”, Al B. Sure “Night & Day” and TLC ‘s “Waterfalls” along with her classic song “Grace” from her album Bitter.

Maxwell headlined at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which is new on this list as an official AOCFEST stage. Everyone who was either seated in the stadium watching his concert from the jumbo screen or on the field could see his moves and feel his groove! There were so many favorite songs by the incomparable male singer that turned into a sing-a-long, such as “Pretty Wings”, “Bad Habits” and “Fortunate”.

Watch Video Highlights of Photo Recap from Day 1 As Seen on the Scene by SobeSavvy.com! ⤵️

Day 2 – SEPT 29

Downtown Durham was the place to be for the second and last day of music and festivities. Even if you were not going to the concerts, there were so many ways to support the community and enjoy the amazingly cool city of Durham. A 90’s style vintage pop up party hosted by The Key to Style was my first stop before heading to the heart of the Bull City. CCB Plaza, near the iconic bull statue, is where emerging artists performed cyphers and Hip Hop radio station K97.5 held a block party showcasing local talent.

From there, I took a short walk to Pinhook, an iconic live music venue in Durham perfectly sized for intimate performances. Durham’s own Zoo Cru were up first. This quartet of musicians jammed out to their own unique sounds that is really beyond description. Not electronica and not R&B but a subtle blend of both. I love to support local, so I enjoyed my first listen from this popular band.

Next up at Pinhook was renowned trumpeter Keyon Harrold. He has done music and horns for A listers such as Beyonce and JayZ over the years. In addition, Mr. Harrold did the music for the hollywood movie “Miles”, so his resume is unmatched. Wynton Marsalis has called him “The Future of the Trumpet”. He did not dissapoint. His breath control and range were simply amazing. He was paired with a female vocalist which added a different angle to his horn. Unique and dynamic music is just one of the many things you will always experience at AOCFEST.

What’s a festival without the opportunity to shop from a variety of vendors? The Urban Market, set up on Blackwell Street, was the answer for those of us who like to shop local. Vendors were on hand selling quality products such as clothing, artwork, accessories and natural body care products, like my favorite Nailah Shea. Enthusiastic and stylish crowds took advantage of the warm, sunny afternoon in the Bull City. It was fun for the whole family!

My AOCFEST experience ended with seeing the one and only Erykah Badu, who is the first female to headline the Art of Cool Festival. Nas had just rocked the mic and said goodnight as i was entering the stadium. Before Ms.Badu came to the stage at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the crowd heard from the new President and VP of The Art of Cool Festival, Sulaiman and Lesleigh Mausi, Founders of The DOME Group, LLC. They thanked the sponsors and all the fans for a fabulous Art of Cool Festival weekend.

Ms. Badu came to the stage with her big hat, her big hair to match her big voice and asked..”Brothers, how y’all feel? Sistahs, y’all alrite” ? She really needed no introduction because her energy fills up any atmosphere. Erykah Badu almost single handidly created the genre called “Neo Soul”. Her music, style and delivery of colorful lyrics has made her one of the most unique talents of our time! Fans filled up Durham Bulls Athletic Park and joined together to celebrate her greatness which like her song, goes “On and On”.

Watch Video Highlights of Photo Recap from Day 2 As Seen on the Scene by SobeSavvy.com! ⤵️

Electric ending to another exciting and informative Art Of Cool Festival. The AOCFEST is one of the best music festivals that gets better every year. Be sure to check out aocfestival.com • #AOCFEST and make plans to visit Durham, NC to experience the Art of Cool Festival next year! Congratulations again to Art of Cool Festival for 5 years strong!

Concert Recap |@KidzBop Live Rocks Raleigh @RedHatAmp @LiveNationNCSC

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Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to review this show and share our experience with you. The opinions are 100 percent my own!

Music has always been oxygen to me. It is apparent I have passed this trait on to my soon to be 7 yr old daughter!
She sings, she dances and she gets lost in the beats just like me. While I love this aspect, I am always concerned with some of the more “adult” lyrical content of today’s pop hits. A few years ago I found a great solution to this modern problem. It is called KIDZ BOP. Some of my child free followers may not know what that is. No worries, I am here to help!

KIDZ BOP is a musical group that takes all the current top 40 hits and remixes some of the lyrical content within the songs to make it more kid-friendly. They use very similar music and most of the lyrics are the same.The most important difference is any cursing and sexual innuendo are replaced seamlessly with more kid appropriate lyrics. Young talent with amazing vocals do the cover songs. They also come up with dance moves to go with the dance tunes that will sure to get any kiddie party started! So when I learned that this group was touring and stopping in Raleigh,NC at Red Hat Amphitheatre, I wanted to surprise my soon to be birthday girl with her very first concert experience! It actually was our first mother and daughter concert date and we had so much fun!

KIDZ BOP has been Billboard Magazine’s #1 Kids’ Artist for eight consecutive years (2010 – 2017).
What works so well is the fact that each song they produce could stand on it’s own as an original. Most of our Friday Family Fun Nights at home consist of my daughter and I having our own dance or lip sync battle to any of the songs from the latest Kidz Bop Album. My husband will even play it in the car to just jam out during road trips. Parents, kids, girls and even boys enjoy rocking out to KIDZ BOP which is why the Kidz Bop Live 2018 Summer Tour is a must see!

The concert was 90 mins long with a 15 min intermission and featured 20 hit songs. Our favorite moments were dancing along to the Kidz Bop Shuffle, singing along to Havana, and other latin hits like Despacito / Mi Gente. We also liked all the Bruno Mars songs: Uptown Funk/ That’s What I Like/ Finesse / 24K Magic and the 90’s Dance Off featuring adults from the audience was EPIC! They showed us their best dance moves to Whoomp There It is / Jump / Poison / U Can’t Touch This and we the audience got to choose the winner by giving the loudest applause.

WATCH MY FUN VIDEO RECAP OF THE SHOW ⤵️

I had alot of Friday Night fun with my little one at #KidzBopLive 2018 at Red Hat Amphitheater in Downtown Raleigh. Those KIDZ BOP kids are so talented and put on an amazing show! Catch some of their singing [and our dancing] via my @sobesavvy u instatories and be sure to check out LiveNation.com to see what other concerts are coming to the the Triangle!

Concert Review | The Great Xscape Tour @ThegroupXscape @MonicaBrown @TamarBraxtonHer #pncarena 

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Last night the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC was packed with fans ready to escape back to the 90’s with the iconic group Xscape. By now you know that all the members have reunited for “The Great Xscape Tour” and let me tell you the platinum selling R&B quartet have not lost their amazing singing skills. As a matter of fact, all the ladies on this tour put on a great performance! 

Opening the show was the all female group June’s Diary, who shared their vocal skills and news about their partnership with The Fresh Dolls. At every tour stop, you can purchase a doll of your favorite group member (or all of them), just in time for the holidays! Also for available for purchase was Bedroom Kandi for ladies and BK for men!

Up next was Zonnique, who did her thing along with her dancers and proved that she is staking her claim in the R&B game! You heard the phrase ..”shake what ya mama gave ya”? Well she did that and then some. How cool is that to be on the same tour with her mother,  Tameka ‘Tiny’ Harris!

Adding to the excitement of this reunion tour were special guests, R&B legend Monica and the ever so talented Tamar Braxton. Tamar came out looking beautiful and performed with the energy, realness and powerful vocals that she is known for. She also took time to spill some tea and speak about her impending divorce that is being played on reality television for all to see. With all that is going on in her life she left it all on the stage in last night’s performance and saaaaannng her heart out ! {as seen on my IG instastories}

This group Xscape, along with Monica were two of my favorites in the 90’s. In fact, those classic R&B hits that those female artists sung for us back then still move us fans, old and new, to this day! Monica, graced the stage with her unique style and singing that touches your soul. She talked about her influences like Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and surprised us with her cover of Lauryn Hill’s ‘Lost One‘, which I shared a teaser on my Snapchat. 

The time had come for all of us to see the anticipated reunion of Xscape for ourselves. Some people in the audience were wondering if it was going to be all the members of the 4 girl group that broke up suddenly after 3 straight platinum albums. Myself and all of their fans who were saddened by their sudden demise at the height of their popularity, could not wait for them to hit the stage and give us what we have been asking for all these years! And then these letters came across the screen and all you could hear were screams and cheers for ..X S C A P E! 

 

Kandi Burruss-Tucker, Tameka “Tiny” Harris and sisters Latocha and Tameka Scott came ready to party and perform all of their memorable hits. They even got their dance on last night! Check ’em out …

LaTocha, Tamika, Kandi and Tiny started off dressed in jumpsuits but changed into church robes as well as sexy attire as the evening went on. You could feel the energy in the arena as thousands of fans sang along with every song. 

Their concert set list featured all the favorites like, Feels So Good, Who Can I Run To, Is My Living In Vain, Just Kickin’ It, and Understanding. One song that I could not wait to hear them sing was “Tonight” because of how it showcases their beautiful harmonies and vocal ranges.

The crowd also enjoyed the video journey of Xscape’s career that played along in two huge jumbotron screens. We all agreed that this reunion was long overdue and how they delivered! Memory lane was in full effect and it was magical. They are hitting up Miami next on Dec.5 and other cities on their 21 city North American tour. The tour wraps up on Sat Jan 6, 2018 in Los Angeles.  So grab your girls, your guy and get tickets to see this fantastic show and get ready to have fun! For more tour info go to https://www.thegreatxscapetour.com

  

See more video clips from the concert here ⤵ 

Highlights from @HopscotchFest #Hopscotch17 #VisitRaleigh |A #soNCsavvy Recap by SobeSavvy.com

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This past weekend, SobeSavvy.com was out and about in Downtown Raleigh for Hopscotch Music Festival. If you saw my recap from last year Hopscotch 2016, then you know this is a fun festival for music lovers that is not to be missed!

Official Guide 2017 Hopscotch Music Festival           

This year for #Hopscotch17, there were 120 Bands and Four Days of shows playing at the large outdoor main stages in Raleigh City Plaza, Red Hat Amphitheater, but also perfomances at The Basement inside the Raleigh Comvention Center plus day parties at the local clubs/bars. The festival features music for everyone in almost every genre: rock, hip-hop, metal, folk, electronic and more! For me, that’s what makes Hopscotch unique because it’s not genre based and does not cater to one specific type of music. It appeals to those of us who believe music is universal and all are welcome to enjoy it in the city of Raleigh!

Hopscotch Festival partners with Visit Raleigh to put on an amazing 4 Day Music Festival   

Downtown Raleigh and its many venues makes this the perfect place for this festival because once you park your car, you can literally just “hopscotch” all around downtown and take in the acts. We downloaded their fantastic interactive app that allows users to customize their own music festival acts they want to see. 

Sort by venue or performer ,open up a calendar and set reminders for who, what, where,when to go see your fave artists on the HOPSCOTCH MUSIC FESTIVAL App

I decided to share our highlights on Hopscotch 2017 based on the venues and the people, performances and festival fun we saw at each place. Take a look and I hope you are inspired to go next year!

Raleigh CONVENTION CENTER (Wristband City, The Basement, Official Merch, & Flatstock) 

#Hopscotch17 | Inside the Convention Center

The Convention Center serves as the command center (in my opinion) for the festival. Here is where the festival fun begins after you pick up your wristbands from Wristband City (which allows you entry to see acts at all the venues). This is also the place where you can buy swag from the official Merch Market or even a cool piece of poster art from Flatstock. Hopscotch made great use of the convention center by creating a new venue space called ‘The Basement‘. An Exhibit Hall was transformed into a indoor club with a cool vibe complete with two full bars, a great sound system and plenty of dance space. Here is where we saw performances from Har Mar Superstar, Lee Fields and the Expressions and Kaytranada.  Watch a video recap >>here<< of their performances and if you want to see more photos, check out my facebook album. 

#Hopscotch17 | Friday Night in ‘The Basement’

  

CITY PLAZA

#Hopscotch17 Snapchat Filter + City Plaza

Just a couple of blocks over from the Convention Center at 400 Block Fayetteville was the City Plaza stage venue. They had all sorts of vendors/booths to buy and sample food and drinks. We had some great samples of IPA beer at the Goose Island Tent to get our party started!

#Hopscotch17 | Beer Sampling at City Plaza

On Friday, we saw Future Islands ,who hails from my hometown of Baltimore,Md. They are a synthpop band whose performance in 2014 on The Late Night Show w/David Letterman gave them national exposure and a expanded fan base. They rocked the plaza with their energy and passion! 

#Hopscotch17 | Future Islands at City Plaza

Saturday we returned to City Plaza for Big Boi hailing from A-T-L Georgia! The now iconic group OutKast was the soundtrack of my younger years, so I was very excited to see one half of that dynamic duo. He was joined by producer Sleepy Brown, who is a great artist in his own right. He ran thru a medley of OutKast hits like “So Fresh and Clean”, “Rosa Parks” and “Ms. Jackson” to name a few. Big Boi has not lost a step since their heyday. He rocked the mic as the hip hop legend that he is. Many of us rapped along to every lyric and turned the City Plaza venue into one big outdoor hip hop party!  

#Hopscotch17 | Big Boi, along with Sleepy Brown, performs

 

See video clips of the performances by Future Islands and Big Boi at City Plaza >>here.

LENOIR STREET PARTY

#Hopscotch17 | Ice Cream Competition + Food Drive + Lenoir Street Party

 

Hopscotch’s inaugural Lenoir Street Party was not only fun, but family-friendly. We went on Saturday for the Ice Cream Competition, which was held Saturday, September 9 from 1 – 5 p.m. at Gate 3 of Red Hat Amphitheater. The event was sponsored by the Carolina Hurricanes and their Homegrown Series which focuses on local artists, apparel designers, chefs, and musicians. The Winners were:

  • Lumpy’s..won for Best Regular Ice Cream
  • Mama Birds..won for Best Vegan    
  • Maple View ..won for Best Gluten Free! (I had some of their ‘Wolfpack Praline’ and it was soooooo good! Trophy worthy!

#Hopscotch17 Ice Cream Competition

The Lenoir Street Party which ran all weekend, was also where Hopscotch ran their 2017 Food Drive. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle offered $5 off festival apparel and a chance to win 2018 VIP passes with a non-perishable food item donation. This food drive also featured a life-sized cartoon art installation and can sculpture by Paul Friedrich, all sponsored by Coastal Credit Union.

#Hopscotch17 Food Drive

 

Beer & Wine, Spirits sampling booths were there but our daughter #outandaboutAva had the most fun traveling back in time to try 3 soda flavors of 1893 from the makers of Pepsi Cola and crafted in the Carolinas. We got some cool wooden like sunglasses and enjoyed some photo booth fun!  Lots of interactive tents and food trucks made this a great way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon.

#Hopscotch17 | #1893PepsiCola Photo Booth Fun with #outandaboutAva + her Nana + her Dad

RED HAT AMPHITHEATER

#Hopscotch17 Venue Red Hat Amphitheater 

Red Hat Amphitheater is Raleigh’s premier outdoor concert venue and this is where headlining act Solange set the stage ablaze with her stellar performance! Solange had what I like to call the album of the summer. Entitled “A Seat At The Table”, this album features songs filled with affirmations of self love, positive messages and healing.

#Hopscotch17 Snapchat Filter + Solange

Her show combined what Hopscotch is all about: Music & Design . Her entire band and backup singers dressed in red gave us a what look and felt like a solar experience!

#Hopscotch17 Solange and her band

#Hopscotch17 Solange gives Raleigh a Solar Eclipse

#Hopscotch17 | Solange sings her hit ‘Cranes in the Sky’

She sang a good portion of her Grammy award winning album and also a few of her classics from her earlier albums. “Cranes In the Sky and “Don’t Touch My Hair” were fan favs. Her self choreography was a combo of soul/funk moves with a dash of disco. It was almost retro in it’s feeling and felt totally authentic and free, as seen here in my Instagram video:

She took all in attendance on a ride and none of us wanted to get off.

See youtube video recap of Solange >>here << and thank you for reading. Bravo to Hopscotch Music Festival for another wonderful year!