On the Road Again
Live Review
Me'Shell N'degeocello
Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
May 16, 1997
Me'Shell N'degeocello is the beautiful, bald, black babe who played some truly bombastic bass at the Phoenix Concert Theatre last night. Grooving along to the incredible funk laid down by her eight-man band, she sang and danced for almost two hours while the audience moved as a collective slave to her music. The hip was happening and the hop was everywhere.
All cheesy funk metaphors from this white boy aside, my personal opinion is that the show was great. Me'Shell's music, which comes across as intelligent and powerful on compact disc, takes on a life of its own when performed live. The intensity of her passion on songs like "Stay" and "Leviticus: Faggot" were so severe that you couldn't just watch her; you had to stare.
Her face contorts when she sings, emoting pain, anger, frustration and elation. Some of it was just her working the crowd, but there was a lot of spirituality there too. On "Deuteronomy: Niggerman" she believed what she was singing and let you know that.
This tour is in support of her Peace Beyond Passion album and most of the songs on it are sombre, with weighty issues about her struggles against racism, sexism and homophobia. But somehow these songs came across as funky and made the crowd want to dance. Most of that vibe was created by her kick-ass rhythm section of percussion, drums, guitar, keyboards and bass. There were also three doo-wop boys to throw down some classic, sensual R & B harmonies.
She picked up her bass like a rock star might pick up his guitar for a solo. But she wasn't showing off how fast she could play; she was showing the crowd how she could kick Bootsy Collins' ass in a groove-off. Slapping and popping in a way that would make Les Claypool blush, Me'Shell was impressive.
Although the energy was high all night, the most soulful moments were created when Me'Shell played songs off her first album, Plantation Lullabies. "I'm Diggin' You (Like An Old Soul Record)" drove the crowd wild. And there were lots of girls singing along to "If That's Your Boyfriend [He Wasn't Last Night]."
Too often thought of as just a bass player, Me'Shell N'degeocello is also a talented songwriter and performer. She has a lot to say, and it comes across in a way that makes you want to listen. An almost sold-out crowd listened up last night and they had a real good time.