Transcendent Experience of Live Music
Mike Skinner & The Streets
I've been a fan of The Streets ever since I moved to England 17 years ago. I remember using Google to translate the lyrics and grasp the story Mike Skinner was trying to tell us. That pure passion follows on stage as Mike is notorious for getting the crowd involved. Whether it's to 'go low' (see video below), strike a pose or even turn around and say 'I love you' to someone you don't know.
This creates a friendly yet boisterous vibe, one I haven't experienced at any other performance. The Streets were back after a long hiatus so I decided to sneak into the Brixton gig and take some shots as a way of saying thank you. The Streets will go down in history due to their timeless presence and the millions of memories they helped to create. This is just one of them.
Solomon Grey
I got my first taste of Solomon Grey when they opened for Above & Beyond during one of their rare acoustic sessions and from the first minute they set the bar pretty high. Their positive yet melancholy sound and cinematic string arrangements was something I haven't heard before and I was curious to see how well this would translate during a live performance.
Life has a way of surprising you and a few months ago I joined the duo for an intimate performance in a church by Kings Cross. The acoustics were close perfect. As Joe's haunting voice echoed around the room I saw a number of people sitting with their eyes closed, just taking in the experience. Lost in their own world with a Solomon Grey soundtrack adding to the experience.
Sasha
In the realms of electronic music Sasha can be considered an icon. His career has spanned decades during which time he's won some of the most covered DJ awards as well as producing tracks that laid the foundation of electronic music we know today. Always looking to push himself Sasha put on a live show at the Barbican which featured orchestral renditions of some of his best work.
The gig had all the energy of Ibiza and all the civility of a vicar's tea party. By the second part though no one could stay in their seats. I saw at least 2 grown men cry as their childhood memories were played out right in front of them. Some people had The Beatles, some had Rolling Stones but I firmly place myself into the Sasha cult. But my words won't do it justice, just watch the video.
Above & Beyond
My favourite band of all time and it's not even close. Their debut album Tri-State awoke my insatiable thirst for new experiences and redefined how music should make you feel. It's 75 minutes of pure delight and one of those albums I could listen to on repeat without getting bored.
The trio have an amazing relationship with their fans and decided to give back by putting on an acoustic gig in an old church in Hackney. Up to this point I've only ever seen Above & Beyond surrounded by excited yet sweaty festival goers. This rare opportunity allowed the band to showcase their musical talents and play a 'toned down' medley of some of their best songs. No beats or drops, just pure aural pleasure.
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://www.thestyledivision.com/transcendent-experience-live-music
Resteemed your article. This article was resteemed because you are part of the New Steemians project. You can learn more about it here: https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@gaman/new-steemians-project-launch