JUST Distracted

The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Early Edition for Monday, January 24, 2010

An open letter to Lauryn Hill fans:

Dear L-Boogie Fans,

Right now I’m slowly coming down from a serious music high. Last night my dream of seeing Lauryn Hill live in concert finally came true. For the past 10 plus years I’ve played out every song by Lauryn Hill, featuring Lauryn Hill and records that sound like Lauryn Hill.

My obsession with Lauryn Hill isn’t about her; it’s about her music. Just like how people are obsessed with Michael Jackson’s music far more than his persona, that’s how I feel about her music. Her voice is incredible, her lyrics are poetic non-fiction and her flow is incomparable.

Going into the concert I had VERY low expectations. After reading the horrible reviews from her concerts in NY prior to the New Year I couldn’t help but prepare myself for the least from the best. How could anyone leave dedicated fans and band members waiting four hours in a crowded concert hall during the biggest snowstorm in NY history? And then when they finally arrive on stage say something as bold as “I personally know I’m worth the wait”. I don’t care if your last name is Jackson, Turner, Ross, Simone or Obama, when you arrive late you apologize and then perform the best show of your life.

Recognizing her constant tardiness, I arrived at the venue (Sound Academy) at 10:15pm and presumed that she wouldn’t hit the stage till midnight. My friend and I scored a spot at the bar closest to the stage. We figured that if she didn’t show up at least we’d get drunk while waiting and have an area of refuge in case a riot broke out. The venue was well over capacity! No one was untouched. When she came on I hopped on the bar for a better view (before getting kicked off) and saw that the audience was filled with dreadlocks, afros, freshly pressed hair, girl groups and boo’d up couples. Some were dressed like Ms. Hill during her days in the Fugees, rocking layers of earth tones with simple low maintenance hairstyles. Others wore outfits that were influenced by Lauryn Hill’s wardrobe circa Miseducation days, mismatched colors, patterns and materials with an overdose of noisy accessories.

When the DJ hit the stage at 11:00pm we knew it was about to be on and poppin! Dressed in an orange throw over fleece sweater reminiscent of the Fubu era, the DJ mixed ‘BIG songs’ that made us forget that we had limited space to dance. Arms flailed and drinks spilled everywhere.

As the crowd was beginning to break a sweat from grooving to a combination of classic reggae and hip hop, Ms. Hill’s 10-piece band emerged onto the stage and took their places. The room went BAH-NANAS! Everyone from the security guards to the bartenders stopped and stared at the stage anxiously awaiting Ms.Hill’s arrival. People in the washrooms ran out with their pants undone. High pitch screams rang out from the shiest looking people. The words ‘Oh-My-God’ poured out from every mouth. This wasn’t just a concert by a great artist; this was the return of one of the greatest artists to ever walk this earth. Eyes watered up and breaths were held for an extended period of time. Big gulps of liquor were heard a long the bar. The crowd chanted ‘Lauryn’ with nothing but love and joy.

After five minutes the DJ dropped Movado’s hit song “I’m so special”. I screamed at the top of my lungs remembering how she danced out onto the stage to the same song this past summer when she was on the Rock the Bells Tour. After missing her much hyped concert on Governors Island in NY I spent an afternoon watching youtube clips of all her concerts where I saw her repeat this entrance in different cities, obsessed much?

I screamed at my friend who had a phone camera and regular camera ready to roll, “She’s coming on! I know it! It’s Movado’s song, its her entrance song! This is when she comes on! She’s coming on now! Get ready! Now!” The surrounding fans yelled back “No waaay!” and cranked their necks to get a better view. The lights on the stage went into a strobing rage of movement and Lauryn Hill ran out from the right side of the stage and rocked out to her hype jam while the crowd lost their minds in disbelief of her arrival. She wore a fury black vest and long black dress with an African pattern at the neckline. The dress fell over some wide legged khaki pants that draped over some four inch heels. She wore the maximum amount of accessories with dark chocolate lipstick and her hair was 2 inches of lightly combed afro-sheen free natural curly hair. I stared in awe and then pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t just watching a youtube video, I was really there and so was Lauryn Hill and a thousand screaming fans. I screamed like a schoolgirl and danced a long while destroying the lyrics to Movados hit song.

As the song faded out, the lights calmed down and Lauryn Hill’s recognizable scratchy low range voice screamed out from the 36 speakers that lined the stage. “Hello Toronto! How you been Toronto! It’s been a long time Toronto”. Each time she said ‘Toronto’ the room grew louder and louder. She was connecting with the audience the same way she did 10 years before last night. Overwhelmed with flattery she giggled into the mic and continued her conversation with the crowd. “It feels good to be here Toronto. We’ve got a lot to do tonight.” The crowd eager and happy to hear her again quieted down to listen to what she had to say. “We’re going to play the classics. A lot of them have been reworked…” the one and only upset fan yelled “boo” when they heard the warning of change. Lauryn Hill responsed to him directly “Who said that? (Silence) I didn’t say its not going to be better, it’ll BE better!” The crowd clearly on her side screamed with empathy and support. “Do you mind if we take you back…Toronto do you mind if we go waaay back?” The question was rhetorical, all we could do was go waaay back and everyone was more than thrilled to do so.

She began her two hour set by singing a cover of Bob Marley’s “Forever Loving Jah” to “bless the stage”. Then came reworked versions of songs off of the Miseducation album, “Lost One”, “When it hurts so bad”, “Ex-Factor”, “Final Hour” and “To Zion”. The crowd kept its focus while adjusting to the new versions of her classic hits.

When she went into her set of Fugees songs, including “How Many Mics,” a cover of the Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes for You,” “Zealots,” “Fu-Gee-La,” “Ready or Not” and “Killing Me Softly,” the band got louder and the crowd participation was at an all time high. Ms. Hill demanded her band to perform their best and asked the audience to fill in their favorite spots by pointing the mic towards the crowd “Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, sweeeeet thing!”

By now I had left earth and was dancing on planet rock! Nothing even mattered (pun intended). Lauryn Hills music didn’t get me through problems in the past, no, I give that credit to family and friends but, what it’s always done is made me forget about all problems and sing along.

When it was time to perform one last song, everyone began murmuring their guesses for what song she’d choose to perform last “Doo Wop (That Thing)”, “Everything is Everything”, perhaps she would bless the audience with a brand new song that would get a million hits by the end of Monday night. After placing our bets Lauryn Hill asked her back up singers to sing a note and they responded “ouuuuuuuu ouu ouu ouuuuuuuuu”. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” was the winner! The night was truly unforgettable.

I was a groupie, I geeked out and I lost my voice.

If you ever get a chance to see Lauryn Hill live in concert, just go, don’t think, just go! Your next big chance is at the Coachella Music Festival. Tickets went on sale on Friday. Go! Do it! Go!

Jah!

Lils

JUST Distracted

Photos by the very talented artist: Kamilah Gibson

The Perfect Lunchtime Read is a writing series that began on January 7th, 2011. Every weekday I write a new Perfect Lunchtime Read for you to enjoy while eating your lunch at work or taking a break from your hectic life. Every weekday new Perfect Lunchtime Read is posted on justdistracted.com. A notice of its arrival on the website is sent via Facebook & twitter.com/justdistracted

Every writing piece is light and easy to read, I like to leave the serious topics with the New York Times. Warning: My writing style is no holds bar but don’t worry you won’t be seeing any NSFW photos posted anytime soon.

If you have feedback, questions or comments please feel free to email me at justdistracted@gmail.com

To read previous Perfect Lunchtime Reads click below:

Intro - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - New Year

Entry 1 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Where to find a lover in time for Valentines

Entry 2 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Mondays

Entry 3 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - The Lotto Winner

Entry 4 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Where do men cry?

Entry 5 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Award Season

Entry 6 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Award Speeches

Entry 7 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Legal Vs. Illegal

Entry 8 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Peeping Lils

Entry 9 - The Perfect Lunchtime Read - Give Credit Where Credit is Due