i saw Bilal in concert last night. great concerts always inspire me. i get lost in them. for moments in time, i am moved, inspired, awestruck, and most importantly, i am not dichotomous. i am my full self.
all of these feelings were hightened during Bilal's performance. this man gets FREE.
a little background: i've been trying to see Bilal in concert for YEARS now. i finally had a ticket to one of his shows a couple of years ago and ended up not being able to go due to health reasons. there i was, sittin' at home on a beautiful summer evening with a ticket to a Bilal concert, watchin' a Law & Order marathon instead. luh me some Law & Order, but it ain't Bilal.
anyway, he finally booked another local show, and i got to see him. his voice is insanity. i already knew this, but i hadn't witnessed the control he has. and really control is a poor description since his voice is likely led by the will of his spirit, as it pleases. so that's probably the very opposite of control. at any rate, it was flawless in its roller coaster-like transitions through octaves and tempos. and aside from the sheer beauty of his voice (and his speckled face--i can't front. i objectify. and i've got a weakness for freckles), his committment to expression is timeless. the kind of freedom i'm striving for in my work. and i'm getting closer (an inch is closer even in a span of miles). but artists like Bilal and performances like his remind me that i've come so far and i've got so far to go (pun intended for the pleasure of fans) (*edit: a good friend pointed out that this reference is actually D'Angelo. it sounded like Bilal in my head. eh, well).be. fly.
rhythm
*photo isn't from last night.
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3 comments:
Bilal goes in, lyrically and vocally. It amazes me that he isn't a big star. I wasn't at the concert, but he has two songs that motivate me from his unreleased album. "All for Love" and "White Turns to Grey" are next level. He is truly a poet lyrically (that's that Philly in him. WE GO IN!!!!!)
I was told that I must see Bilal doing an exclusive jazz set. I hear it's next level.
I too am a big fan of Bilal. At one time, my wife threatened to never get in my car again if I was just going to play that Bilal CD. He is truly a gifted artist. It is perhaps somewhat telling of the music industry that he is not a bigger star than he is.
And guess what? He has a new CD coming out next year, and also, I have pictures from last nights concert sent to me by a friend as well as concert footage. Holla at a brother and I will hook you up!
i.stay.fly
i've never seen Bilal do a set by himself, but he did make a guest apperance at a Common concert i went to. My respect for what this dude does is un- matched. He is the only artist i've ever downloaded and dropped into my mp3 w/o hearing even one song. white turns to grey is my jawn too.
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