Posts Tagged ‘O2 Indigo’
The Stylistics – O2 Indigo
Tuesday 10th November 2009
The Stylistics in concert was to prove a major emotional test. The London date coincided with my late mother’s birthday and when I was a baby, one of their songs had to be played repeatedly for me to fall asleep.
Arriving early, we had time to visit the British Music Experience Museum. There is no doubt you can have loads of fun in there, especially with the musical instruments, the singing and the dancing. However, the idea to attempt to dance to Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ was a massive miscalculation. Seconds into the routine, it was obvious this dance was impossible. So it made sense to have another go, this time choosing ‘One Step Beyond’ by Madness. This routine was far easier and probably just as hilarious to do.
With time flying by, we headed off to the O2 Indigo and of course the VIP bar upstairs with those tasty Mojitos. Finally managed to leave the bar for the arrival of The Stylistics on stage. With so many hit tunes behind them, they were just rolling them out.
The Stylistics had the audience singing and dancing to Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love); I’m Stone In Love With You; Peek-A-Boo; Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart); Betcha By Golly, Wow; Na Na Is The Saddest Word; Break Up To Make Up; You Are Everything; and one of my favourites and best known, You Make Me Feel Brand New.
Considering The Stylistics are no longer touring with the original line-up, the band is definitely a joy to watch and listen to. Once again, it was another fantastic night. In a way, it was probably a good thing they didn’t sing ‘Let’s Put It All Together’ as I probably would have found it all a bit too much. Best left to the memory ‘as the tune that put me to sleep as a baby’.
Keith Sweat – O2 Indigo
Friday 25th September 2009
More than 20 years since continuously playing Keith Sweat’s Make It Last Forever album, the chance to see him live, was an opportunity I wasn’t going to miss. Astonishingly, I didn’t realise he had recorded anything new since!
With these tickets, we were also granted free entry into the British Experience Museum. The BME ended up being a great place to hang out before the concert. Loads of fun, especially recording a terrible version of Wonderwall and attempting the infamous moves to Staying Alive. You even get access to these recordings to remind you of the fact, you are not as good a dancer as you thought you might have been!
The O2 Indigo is a great little venue. More importantly, upstairs in the VIP bar, we were served the best Mojitos I’ve ever tasted. So much so, it made more sense to have 1 or 2 more, watch the support act on the screens at the bar, before taking our seats in the King’s Row section.
Keith Sweat came out to load screams from all the girls, especially those closer to him in the standing area downstairs. I’m pretty sure I heard guys scream too. Then again, I was close to screaming when he began with a killer version of Something Just Ain’t Right!
Of course with a back catalogue of just one album and knowledge of one other tune, the majority of the concert was bound the feel like an artist promoting his new album. It didn’t matter, because when Keith Sweat started to sing I Want Her, it felt like a life long dream had been reached. A storming performance.
The joy didn’t stop there as he went on to perform Make It Last Forever and Twisted. At one point, the excitement probably got too much for a couple of girls, who decided to fight it out in the seating area behind us. Even to the point of falling into the gap between the seats, making it extremely difficult for almost all the security to separate them. Oh the joys of being a Sweat Wife wannabee.
Keith Sweat was smooth both vocally and in his approach to invite fans on to the stage. I had friends in the standing area and I knew they’d be trying, along with everyone else, to get onto that couch on stage. But it was left to a few lucky ones to get up close to the man himself.
Keith Sweat rocked and then some. Just to top it all off, he performed an even better version of I Want Her again. The night was all about memories. Keith Sweat definitely made them last forever!
