..Don't Change For Me!!!

REWIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, let's re-wind a little bit. I went to Nikki Marina a few months back with one of my home girls from FAMU ( wsup Novia!!). She was in town for a friends birthday party. Now, I am not sure who this friend is but he managed to get some of the BEST independant male vocalists/song writers out today. The vibe was lovely I tell you. (At that time I was in the midst of home renovation and needed a break and wanted to spend time other than a dusty condo with dirty timbs and paint stained clothes.) PJ Morton was "laid out" on the floor singing..litteraly..Patti Labelle style!

Then as the evening progressed, I see this guy walk in while PJ was wrapping up his set. (I'm very observant) I ask my friend "who's that cat with the scarf on, is he another singer..he doesnt look like a local". She laughs, "Oh that's Eric Roberson." "Eric Roberson?" I said puzzled while looking at PJ sing his heart out "Yeah girl, Eric Roberson, I need to get you caught up on some artists."

At this point after seeing PJ roll around on the ground, the backup singers "sanging" like they are singing lead, I could not imagine the night getting any better. So when Eric walked up to the mic, my first thought was..."he better be good". After he sang "Don't Change For Me"... I saw that this man was better than good. His voice is very unique and so is his music. The brotha was soooo good that if he were to do a show in ATL, I would make a mini vacay and center activies (shoping, dining, chillin) around the show. South Florida does not have a neo-soul or live music scene and I knew he would not be back down here.


FAST FORWARD


So I'm on my way to met my jogging partners (my best friend is getting maried in Jamaica this summer...i need to get it together) and I'm listening to the end of the Michael Baisden show (I'm usually listening to NPR...)..and he says "South Florida, Eric Roberson performing this weekend at Soul in da City..check Hot 105 for more details!". I could not believe my ears. The same guy who sang like the rent was due is coming to Miami. No one of calibur comes to Miami. NO ONE! So after a three mile jog, I hoped on the computer and checked ticket prices and location. Josef Caleb Center, 25 bucks center seating, "Don't Change For Me" will be sung live, so there!


PLAY

When I got there, of course there was no more than about 100 people but it was small but powerful crowd. Some of Miami's best poets opened and a vocalist by the name of Jesse Boykins. (I will never view "pantyhose" in the same manner again) This guy was amazing. After hearing Jesse SANG all of his music and a 15 minute intermission, Eric came on stage and RIPPED UP THAT MICROPHONE like it was childs play.

Ya girl was singing along, on her feet despite the fact that the seats were tight..and I don't mean tight as in good. Then he proceeds to freestyle sing. He asks the audience for random words and makes a song with them ON THE SPOT. So you know me, I must be either seen or heard...I yell out the word "MORTGAGE". Of course I got the crazy look from him, but none the less, my word "Mortgage" ended up in a song.....(oh yeah, im such a new homeowner)..

along with the words, Kitchen Sink, Shady, Classes, Sunglasses and two other words I don't remember, the crowd gets loud after each word!

I must say I was more than happy.

$25 for good seat tickets

$15 for a DVD/CD set after the show

seeing, getting an autograph and taking a picture with a great artist

PRICELESS!!!!

Wow!

Ok,

I am a creative by all means. I will tell you what a photo feels like and the message it is trying to put across.

I was reading some entries on another site I am apart of and a person posted this






not only was I captured by the photo, but by the music. The funny thing is, the photo looks like it was taken on a cold day..kinda looks like a wedding is going to take place. But the crazy thing is, this cold weather photo kicks off the "cool" in the music...but the warmth in the lyrics combined with the lows and mids of the tune slighty cooled off by the breathy melody make me think of a snowy evening.

I should be the video director of this.

The Most Incredible Day Part 1

Sup!

So basically I finally had time to put up my Inauguration Pictures...after three months of non stop life. *lol* People, when I tell you I had to pull a rabbit out of a hat to make this trip happen, I'm telling you, Bugs Bunny himself was not to thrilled about me yanking him out of his house by the ears. Anyway, this was history and I needed to be there. I have a ton of pics but, I have to make this thread short because....it almost 12am, it's after daylight saving time, I just moved several boxes into my new home, I have yet to relax after 8hrs of meetings...a workout session and a trip to Home Depot

Yeah...I'm fried...

let's do this.



So on Monday my travel group with consisted of friends from college ( FAMU), went on the national mall to "scope" out the territory. On our way to Union Station, we run into this guy....









and while running into that guy, we ran into this...



and this..




so we finally get to union station (after buying concert...oops i mean Inauguration Day t-shirts lolol), we run into this...





and after eating Chicago deep dish pizza from Uno's...we run into...




protesters.


This group was protesting the war and ole' girl was laid out on the cold dirty marble floor at Union Station...


so after wading through throngs of countless people, its practically night outside and that's when EVERYBODY came to the Washington Mall..




the news bureaus were in full effect!




Let me tell you, I love crowds and everything but crowds plus cold frozen feet and hands did not make for a warm feeling. I kept thinking about the word "History" and that brought the warm weather dweller back to reality cause a sista kept blackin' out due to the how harsh that cold was...Chicago truly had nothing on that D.C. hawk!! Did you say 23 but felt like 3!! Yeah..


but when I got back to the hotel that night...I made one of these..








living in Florida, I never seen snow. I made a sand angel before but...it just wasn't the same!


I will tell you this...on the day that Tuesday when I woke at 4am, there were a dozen thoughts going through my mind. I thought about my parents, I thought about my college experience. I thought about the 70's, the 60's and every history book I picked up. I will honestly say, I felt a sense of urgency to get on that mall and experience that "once in a lifetime" moment.


at this point, ya girl was in tears. I remembered every piece of black history I learned, through every movie, every book, every article. Every single thing came full circle to that very moment when I saw Barak walk down the stairs to enter into the cold D.C. winter wind to accept his position as 44th president. (I have video of crowd reaction....that will come later)...and I'm glad I shared it with.....



you guessed it...