07.31.15

Erica Campbell and Friends

Setting: The Carolina Theater.

Characters: Me, myself, and I.

Experience: In the words of the old Mastercard commercial... “Priceless”.

Lessons Learned: 1. Date yourself.  2. Chase the experience.

The Catalyst.

One thing I am slowly learning is if that you can not wait to do the things you really want to do.  Generally as I go about my work week, I am often challenged to come up with different ways to do more work in the same amount of time. Therefore, when Friday hits…my mood somewhat descends, and lurks along the lines of gloom.  However, this week I said…no more!  Even though I have been in and out of town for the past several weeks, my goal is to keep the wheels turning, and not stand idly by, despairing over my state of singledom.

So, after hearing about the Erica Campbell concert by chance, I decided to purchase a ticket and go.  Here are my thoughts…

Phenomenally great, people…phenomenally great!

The Venue.

My ticket price was around $45.  I would say that the time the artists spent entertaining was worth the amount I paid. As I was seated in the left orchestra section, my view was pretty good. This was my first time in the Carolina Theater.  I will say that the theater seats were a tad tight.  If possible, I would have traded my seating for an end or aisle seat. For those of you that don't know, I am a bit claustrophobic, and I also like to have leg room.  The architectural design of the theater was beautiful, and gave the audience a more vintage aesthetic.  That more than made up for my seat choice.  (As a part-time hobby, I love to look at architecture and the details within designs.)

 

The Artists.

Now, having seen that the concert was entitled “Erica Campbell and Friends”, I wondered who would be accompanying her.  Since I do not listen to the local radio stations, or watch television a lot, I am a bit out of the loop regarding some things.  However, I was pleased with the choices that were included in this concert.  

I really enjoyed hearing from Janice Gaines, which presented a different, and edgier sound to the gospel/Christian music genre. Being the first artist on the stage, she was both enthusiastic and upbeat. I felt that this created an air of optimism after a long and tiring workweek.   Anita Wilson, Brian Courtney Wilson, Gerald and Tammi Haddon all came with an awe inspiring presentation as well, building a solid foundation for the headliner, Erica Campbell.

 

The Headliner.

After the concert, I have a new respect for Erica Campbell, and her solo career. Having watched the reality show “Mary Mary”, I had mixed feelings about her starting a solo career.  I believe it is often harder to come out of a successful duo and garner the same, if not more success.  I also believe that an artist can come out of a trio or quartet with similar challenges, but have an easier path to carving out his/her own identity and unique sound.

Erica Campbell exceeded my expectations, and actually surprised me in that her true vocal range was broader than I originally thought.  Therefore, I believe that the perceptions we generate from television and reality t.v. shows mask the true authenticity of an artist.  The acoustics garnered a different sound, and shed a new light on to her ability to be a stand-alone performer. It is now my belief that she can come out of the shadow of “Mary Mary” and really reinvent herself.

 

The Lessons.

All in all, I enjoyed the time spent, and learned a few lessons along the way.

Lesson 1:  Date yourself.  
Pick and choose what sparks your interest and try it.  You may walk away actually inspired.

Lesson 2: Chase the experience.  

I often crave newness in my day to day routine.  I know for a fact that the arts stimulate a new and fresh experience for me.  This adventure led me to discover new artists to sample and a new venue to explore events with.

 

The Conclusion.

So, for all you single people I challenge you (as well as myself) to stop the procrastination and start to create a history filled with new adventures that you can claim all your own.  We deserve it.