It’s Holly

Last night Stephanie and I went to the HOB to see Raphael Saadiq. Steph wasn’t too familiar with his music, but I promised her it was good shit regardless.

Those of you that know me know I would go to a show at the HOB every night if I could. Whoever I force to go with me (sorry Steph, Mario, Kelly and Damon), we usually eat there because you get the “Pass the Line” privilege and enter the music hall 15 minutes before people who didn’t eat at the restaurant. So, of course, Stephanie and I eat there. There’s some private party there, so all of the tables at the bar were taken and the main seating in the restaurant was closed off. We finally found a table that wasn’t reserved and we sat down. Apparently, we were supposed to be seated by the hostess, but the waiter was real cool and didn’t make us get up. I didn’t want anything too heavy, so I got the catfish nuggets with the sweet potato french fries. Well, okay, I guess that’s heavy. Shut up. It was an appetizer though! Stephanie looks at those little special menus they put on the tables when they wanna feature something and sees the Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake. I think as soon as she saw it, she decided. So, she got a side of cornbread and a slice of cake for dinner. Mmm mmm, bitches.

I have absolutely no problem going to a show by myself. Usually, whether I’m by myself or not, I try to get to know the people that are standing around me. I figure we’re gonna be bumping into each other all night, but as well make it friendly and get rid of the need to apologize each time. So we’re waiting to get into the music hall and a girl taps me on the shoulder and says “Weren’t you at the Kindred show?” And I say “Oh! Hey girl! How are you!?” Yes, I go there that much. We chat and whatnot, get into the music hall, and they’re playing India Arie’s first CD. That’s cool, it’s a good CD. Then it starts skipping… and they start the CD over again. I know you’re not the average girl in the video, and I know you like brown skin. Cool. But can we change up this damn CD?

The opening act comes on. I still don’t know her name Her name is Havana and she could sing. She sort of sounded like the girl from SWV or 702. She did a few songs and it was all good. She’s local from Diego, too. When her set was done and she got off stage, again, the India Arie CD started up. At this point everyone around me is like “Really? They’re really playing this again? It’s the HOUSE OF BLUES and they got one CD back there? I knew I shoulda brought my iPod”. Needless to say, I won’t be listening to India for a while. I look over and see another person I met at the Mos Def and Kindred shows (what up, Oscar!!). He was falling asleep, and I told him not to fall over. What are the chances of seeing the same people at 3 different shows? He’s like my concert stranger buddy.

About an hour later, Raphael finally came out and rocked it. He did some Tony Toni Toné, a whole bunch of Lucy Pearl, and a medley of all of his slow jams. His backup singers were off the chain (but half of them had their wigs on crooked).

It was the first show of their tour, and if I could go to the shows up in LA I definitely would, since he said his brother and cousin would be there (I guess that’s Toni and Toné). It was a good show. If you’re up in LA try to catch it.