Hi, CCTV Crew!
I had the privilege of witnessing an icon in the flesh, Janet Jackson, who brought her 50 years of experience to her unforgettable "Together Again"concert. Here's my honest review of Janet Jackson's concert!
Among the shows I've attended in the past year, including Rina Sawayama and FLO's show, as well as a few K-pop spectacles, Janet's performance ranks among the best. Whether it was the overwhelming wave of nostalgia or Janet's sheer force of nature, she truly lived up to all the accolades. From the smooth check-in process to the electric atmosphere of the venue, everything was set for a remarkable night.
The demographic for this concert was very diverse! Young, old, people of all races were ready to be a part of Janet’s “Rhythm Nation” and I was excited to see Janet even after almost being trampled before her set at Global Citizen in 2018.
Before the Queen of Pop graced the stage, we were treated to a performance by the Queen Bee of Rap herself, Lil' Kim. While Ludacris was originally slated to be the opening act for the "Together Again" tour, his absence was due to his receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Lil' Kim, fresh from her set at the Lovers & Friends Festival, brought some of that energy to Janet's show and I’ve got some notes…
Now, don’t get me wrong, I was bumbling with the Bee, but Kimberly Jones has never been a dancer. So, when she attempted some Michael Jackson and Janet-inspired choreography, it was evident that she was stepping out of her comfort zone. While her efforts were endearing, her background dancers lacked precision. There were too many instances where they swarmed the stage, going all out with their freestyle moves, resulting in a bit of onstage chaos. The set felt somewhat incomplete and disjointed, with one of the dancers even forgetting to take off his backstage pass! I think the most mind-blowing part of Kim’s set was the DJ’s uncreative usage of explosions at the end of each song. I cannot tell you how many times Chris and I rolled our eyes.
Even with all of the chaos, it was fun to see a Hip Hop legend.
Now on to the main event: Janet Jackson!
The show was separated by 4 acts, 5 if you count the encore. Accompanied by 3 dancers (the fourth, Denzel, was unwell) instead of her usual small company of dancers, a band, and a fabulous high ponytail, Janet performed her greatest hits as well as some of her never performed tracks (“Girlfriend/Boyfriend", "Like You Don't Love Me”, "Do It 2 Me")
The intro to the first act was a montage of the last 50 years of her magnificence. From her time on The Jacksons variety show, her Diane Sawyer interview and even stills from her movie career, the audience was reminded why we loved Janet.
Once Janet took the stage, she donned a royal purple, romantic cloak, giving her the silhouette of a grand wizard of music. It was the only time we’d see the robe so she let us soak in the image as she gave us the trademark Jackson stare (you know the one!). We were truly in for a treat. We got crisp dance moves (a combination of classic and new choreo) tasteful, fun musical mashups, and costume changes (including the debut of an orange ensemble in Act 3).
The pacing of the show was good, allowing us to jam to our favorite hits while still grooving to her lesser-known gems. Although the setlist was packed with Janet's hits (with only a few omissions like "You Want This"), we were treated to shortened versions or medleys. The band delivered fabulous transitions, unlike Lil' Kim's DJ. I must note that the sound in the venue was quite loud, with vibrations coursing through our bodies, but luckily, we had earplugs to enhance the sound quality and ensure a comfortable concert experience (shoutout to EARPEACE for that!)
Janet's singing was on point, although she typically lip-syncs. There were moments when her mic was on for a few select songs, speaking moments or giving us the occasional "Woo!". Her flawless execution showcased her well-rehearsed performance. My only small complaint is that when Janet finally had the handheld mic, she only sang some parts of "Again," prompting the crowd to sing the majority of it.
While there were some instances where the staging felt unbalanced due to one dancer's absence, Janet and the remaining three dancers handled the adjustments with grace. I would have preferred more relevant graphics and images on the LED screens, as they mostly displayed landscape and scenic pictures instead of aligning with the songs. I think those little details would have wrapped the show up in a perfect package.
Overall, seeing Janet live was as amazing as I had anticipated, leaving me craving more. She proved once again why she is an unparalleled entertainer.
Together Again Tour Setlist
Act I
"Damita Jo"
"Together Again" (DJ Premier Remix)
"Feedback"
"So Much Betta"
"If"
"No Sleeep" / "Got 'Til It's Gone" / "That's the Way Love Goes" / "Enjoy"
Act II
"What Have You Done For Me Lately" / "Nasty"
"The Pleasure Principle"
"Because of Love"
"When I Think of You" / "Diamonds"
"The Best Things In Life Are Free"
"Control"
"When We Oooo"
"Together Again" (Deeper Remix)
"Come Back to Me" / "Let's Wait Awhile"
"Again"
"Any Time, Any Place"
"I Get Lonely"
Act III
"Doesn't Really Matter"
"All for You"
"Come On Get Up"
"Free Xone" / "Throb"
"Girlfriend/Boyfriend" / "Like You Don't Love Me" / "Do It 2 Me"
"So Excited"
Act IV
"The Knowledge"
"Miss You Much"
"Love Will Never Do (Without You)"
"Alright" / "Escapade"
"Scream"
"Black Cat"
"Rhythm Nation"
Act V: Encore
"Together Again"
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On April 19th, Webster Hall was filled with “FLO Lifers” eagerly awaiting the UK girl group FLO who are currently embarking on their “FLO Live” tour. Formed 2019, FLO consists of Jorja Douglas, Renee Downer, & Stella Quaresma. The group’s style distinctly derives from R&B and Hip-Hop from the 1990’s and early 2000s. For a more in-depth analysis FLO’s sound and trajectory watch here (https://youtu.be/i18hpBoW4EU)/ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i18hpBoW4EU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Before FLO took the stage, Samaria, an Oakland R&B singer, opened the show. Samaria started with a simple backdrop featuring her name, keys, and drums. The audience seemed familiar with her music and if they were not, they were supportive and living in the moment. Samaria interacted with the audience well and related to them on the basis of terrible ex's and a journey through a toxic relationship. Samaria’s songs had interesting cadences, but what was missing for us was backing vocals on the track to delineate verses from choruses. After doing some research we found that the “Out of the Way” singer has a sound also inspired by 00s R&B, with a some tracks tracks full of fun guitar licks and drum patterns reminiscent of Timbaland, but none of those instruments were present in her performance. Her backline consisted of a keyboardist and a drummer. Although Samaria sounded good, at times the keyboard’s volume was overpowering. She worked the stage, nonetheless and good job. 7.5 out of 10 ! ()SCORE
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https://www.instagram.com/samaria/?hl=en
Next up was the much-anticipated FLO, and the girls opened with "Not My Job." They were all dressed in black with cute cutouts, and their outfits were shimmery (I love sparkle!) which was a welcome change from their wardrobe at the MOBO awards. Their faces were beat (we love a “natural glam”),
their vocals were tight, and their choreography was utilized well to highlight grooves. The chemistry between the girls was undeniable, and their vocal blend was seamless— absolutely chill-inducing. Jorja's thick vocal tone took the songs to a soulful place, and Stella's airy delivery allowed her to float at the top of the group's harmonies. Renee's smooth, warm alto voice added a coolness to their sound and gained a lot more stability in live singing. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention FLO’s band! The band consisted of some past schoolmates, which added another layer of charm to the whole set!
The absolute highlight of the show was "Losing You” In this live arrangement, the girls emoted and connected with the audience on a deeper level. Chris loved harmonized adlibs, brand new bridge and extra outdo including a guitar solo. As a special treat, FLO performed a cover of Jamelia's version of "Superstar" by Christine Militon. Even though a majority of the NYC crowd had no clue who Jamelia was and didn't know the song, the girls did teach the chorus before singing the song, so some fans were able to follow along. Chris and I certainly knew the song and even received compliments on synchronized impromptu choreography.
Speaking of choreo…
The girls' choreography was something we were curious to see, and they did not disappoint. They danced well, and they were given grooves as opposed to sharp movements that really complemented each member's personal style. In terms of technique, they aren’t K-pop idols so we weren’t expecting crazy formations and “point dances,” but you can tell they put in the work to provide another layer of entrainment to the experience. There was even some chair-ography for their performance of "Change," a new track about a lover's inability to "do the work" necessary to improve the condition of the relationship.
The girls did perform their latest single, "Fly Girl" ft Missy Elliot, and although Missy Elliot was present in the audience, she did not join the performance.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/flolikethis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@flolikethis</a> big up to Flo out here in the states on the road working hard! Keep doing yall thizzzzle!!!🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flygirl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flygirl</a>💇🏾♀️💃🏾💅🏾 <a href="https://t.co/Qtgr2f2KBl">pic.twitter.com/Qtgr2f2KBl</a></p>— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/MissyElliott/status/1649101483621728272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fans (the FLO Lifers) were absolutely living their best lives! They knew all the words to FLO’s songs—the BGV's and the ad-libs. It was a room full of genuine love and screams! FLO closed the night with their debut single, "Cardboard Box," and this performance featured a heavenly bridge section.
Overall, the show was good, and for this to be the group's first headlining tour, we were impressed with the girls’ improvement from performances like the MOBO Awards, where nerves played a noticeable factor. FLO is worth the hype for sure, and we cannot wait to see the new era of girl groups being led by FLO. For their NYC debut, we rate them a 9 out of 10! FLO Lifers left Webster Hall with unforgettable memories and high expectations for FLO's future performances.