Concert review by Renaissance, Guerrilla iPhone photog. by Coolhand LukeWhen Goapele transitioned from "Crush" to "Romantic" and then eased into "Milk and Honey," it became apparent that she was there to do more than sing songs. The Bay Area songstress had a story to tell. Friday night Goapele used Yoshi's San Francisco to paint pictures of love in various phases. She curated emotions too familiar to many, with her smoky but sultry voice, gentle sway and infectious smile. She sang, they listened. She stopped, they clapped and quickly quieted waiting for her transcendent voice to excavate the next memory. As the audience sipped their drinks and felt the ups and downs of relationships past and present, Goapele's soft movements flirted with the audience and her dimples seduced them even further into her stories.
Rocking a black dress, one black elbow length glove with the fingers cut out, and gold accessories, Goapele represented, in song and body, simple elegance with a unique edge. She was an updated version of the jazz and blues legends we love.
Goapele's voice is a powerful and evanescent instrument all its own, but with such a great band, the evening took on a palpable metropolitan allure. The band members' solos were moving and incendiary, but never overwhelming, starting and stopping the audience's climactic expectations all evening.
In a night of seamless transitions, her old songs blended with the new. "We might be a long way from heaven, but I won't give in, no not like this." She sang in "4am" before explaining what happens when that resolution doesn't work out in "Tears on My Pillow." "I finally understand how you can love someone and leave them," she sang inducing understanding exhales from the audience.
When she got to "Closer," the chill crowd of 20- and 30-somethings stood, singing and believing every word. Years later the song inspires as much hope, feeling, and grind as the first time we heard the dreamer's anthem. After the encore, the crowd slowly flowed out. Friday night Goapele sang our lives. From falling in and out of love, to losing loved ones, to chasing our dreams she said it all. She killed us softly with her songs.
Rocking a black dress, one black elbow length glove with the fingers cut out, and gold accessories, Goapele represented, in song and body, simple elegance with a unique edge. She was an updated version of the jazz and blues legends we love.
Goapele's voice is a powerful and evanescent instrument all its own, but with such a great band, the evening took on a palpable metropolitan allure. The band members' solos were moving and incendiary, but never overwhelming, starting and stopping the audience's climactic expectations all evening.
In a night of seamless transitions, her old songs blended with the new. "We might be a long way from heaven, but I won't give in, no not like this." She sang in "4am" before explaining what happens when that resolution doesn't work out in "Tears on My Pillow." "I finally understand how you can love someone and leave them," she sang inducing understanding exhales from the audience.
When she got to "Closer," the chill crowd of 20- and 30-somethings stood, singing and believing every word. Years later the song inspires as much hope, feeling, and grind as the first time we heard the dreamer's anthem. After the encore, the crowd slowly flowed out. Friday night Goapele sang our lives. From falling in and out of love, to losing loved ones, to chasing our dreams she said it all. She killed us softly with her songs.
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1 comments:
Wonderful concert review. I've seen Goapele a few times live and was sad to have missed this show; I know how warming and emotional they can be. After reading this post, I felt like a little part of me was there. Thank you.
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