Excellent show despite the Lincoln Center grounds being under a consistent downpour all day before the concert began. The officials even moved the show’s start time up in consideration of the crowd standing in the rain. Tamar-kali’s Psychochamber Ensemble were a great opening act. Raphael Saadiq performed for a solid 90 minutes giving us a medley of his hits along with some renditions of other well known hits he’s contributed to as producer/songwriter. It was my first time seeing him live & for free. I certainly would pay to see him again anywhere. Incredibly talented & underrated, Saadiq is a true artist, a purist with a heart for the classic aesthetic. The vibe of this show was celebratory, invigorating & inspiring. I am looking forward to his return to New York City when the new album “The Life of Jimmy Lee” is released so I can see him again whether it be indoors or outdoors. The new selections he performed has my anticipation even higher. Prior to the show, I was hesitant watching the weather & even said to myself aren’t too many I’d stand in the rain for, but Raphael Saadiq has quickly become one of them.
Raphael Saadiq Did His Thing! He Gave Us The Old And The New! It Would Be Impossible To Do His Entire Catalog, But He Gave Us A Lot! He Did Promise To Do The Full Catalog In January, But I Probably Wasn’t Supposed To Mention That In This Review! Raphael Is A Master Of Moving The Crowd, And A Master Story Teller. He Did The Classics, And Previewed Some New New! If You Haven’t Been To A Raphael Saadiq Show Lately, You Need To Get To One Soon, Live! There’s Nothing Else Like It!
