In the scheme of things, it was a good year for St. Louis with respect to the concert calendar. Though skewed a bit heavy on the throwback and R&B spectrum, there was just enough hip-hop and new soul (and even a taste of funk) options to give most gave the vast majority at least one show to enjoy. Nearly all of the artists brought their best to the stage, which made narrowing down the best – especially the top three – a daunting task. It took some serious reflection, but here is my top ten (listed from 10-1).
10. “Ferguson is Everywhere” – The epic hip-hop show commemorated the one-year anniversary Michael Brown’s death and subsequent unrest at The Fubar. With Nappy DJ Needles filling the spaces between acts, the robust lineup of artists who donated their talent to the cause made the sweltering temperatures and shoulder-to- shoulder congestion and epic five-hour duration an even exchange. Acts included show organizer Talib Kweli, Common, Immortal Technique, Bun B, Pharaoh Monch, Dead Prez alongside St. Louis’ own Tef Poe and This’l.
9. Gladys Knight – She looked great, she sounded fantastic and did not disappoint with respect to energy and stamina. The O’Jays were in mint condition when they closed the show. But Gladys Knight managed to steal it from them on the front end by sprinkling some new school offerings on top of her classic soul. Her super soulful spin on Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” was a particularly sweet spot as she proved in tune with the now and next.
8. Ledisi – With vocal chops like Ledisi, you don’t really need to do much more than sit on the stage and sing your face off. She seems to have gotten the memo. Scaled down from her prior concert tour’s bedazzled Beyoncé-esque choreographed upbeat show, the soulful diva-in-the-make blew audiences away in her own lane.
7. Parliament-Funkadelic – The truth is that P-Funk can be hit or miss with their live performances. The good news is that George Clinton and the gang had sledgehammers in mind for their headlining performance at the District Rhythm Series this summer at Ballpark Village and turned the sold out crowd at Midwest Live into one nation under a groove.
6. LeCrae – It would be impossible to dispute the rise in relevance of inspirational hip-hop thanks to LaCrae’s Anomaly Tour stop at the Fox Theatre. The show delivered topnotch production quality, compelling content and illustrated LeCrae’s ability to bend the notions of gospel and rap – providing a middle ground that allows millennials to embrace their faith without sacrificing their swag.
5. Tiffany Elle – Yes, you are reading this correctly – a local artist cracked the top five favorite performances of 2015. Soul singer Tiffany Elle left her mark among the large-scale shows this year with her conceptual performance in tribute to Lauryn Hill’s seminal debut solo release, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” at The Demo. Elle’s vocal charisma and attention to detail matched the band’s caliber of accompaniment as she dissected and reinterpreted the collective masterpiece as both a fan and an artist in her own right.
4. Patti LaBelle – Patti LaBelle proved her staying power as the featured entertainment for the 2nd Annual Cedric and Friends Benefit Gala at the Peabody Opera House. Although a bit brief for most everybody’s taste, Miss Patti pleased music lovers of St. Louis almost as much as she did the masses with her pies, thanks to a medley of hits, high energy and higher notes.
3. Jill Scott – With her block party featuring Jazzy Jeff and Common, Scott’s vibe was reminiscent of her Sugar Water Festival Performance at Riverport Amphitheatre more than a decade ago. Common deserves a nod for his contribution to the show and setting up a play with his hip-hop classics.
2. J. Cole – Hot 104.1 FM’s Super Jam teamed up with J. Cole’s Forest Hills Drive Tour to give St. Louis one of the best hip-hop stage offerings in recent years. Big Sean proved himself as next on deck with his opening performance. Backed by a live band and stripped to the essentials of hip-hop, Cole’s complete run through of his “Forest Hills Drive” album was a refreshing change of pace from the typical radio hits format of rap shows.
1. Stevie Wonder – The competition was stiff, but “Songs in the Key of Life Live” earned the top spot. Vocals intact – and a mammoth-scale production that included a choir and string section – a new generation was given the rare privilege of enjoying live vintage Stevie, thanks to a concert recreation of the album that catapulted him into a musical category all his own.
