Concert Review: Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings Revive Spirits
Yesterday, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings revived every living spirit in the audience through the joys of her Motown music stylings.. Something about old-school R&B and pop makes you feel confident. It is an era of music that furthered the power of love, even with all its flaws, and Sharon Jones does the same with her performance.
Jones is currently fighting pancreatic cancer, a note that she makes as she exclaims that, despite her body, her spirit will always give a stellar performance. THAT IT DOES! Jones is a reminder of old-school ideas where it was the soul of an artist that sold the show and not the virtual effects going on behind them. Elaborate choreography and costume changes were not as focused on in Motown days. Instead, it was about the beauty of a song and its songstress. Thus, seeing Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings is like experiencing the glamour of song through its humanity.
After 2 decades as a performer, by now the world knows Jones can sing. She has a voice that is ripe with sentiment. Every word she utters sends a signal of emotion like, an S.O.S to your heart. When she sings of love, suddenly you receive it. When she sings about poverty, instantly you feel it. When she sings about pain, immediately you understand it. Add on, that Jones is undergoing one of the most difficult trials any spirit can undergo, pancreatic cancer, and you feel more moved to stay with her in this moment of music.
This concert had to have been one of the most inspiring, lovely, and uplifting concerts I have attended. Uplifting because people had such a great time. Every one danced and felt free to dance. Again, I reiterate that Jones’s music, along with that of old-school Motown, exudes confidence. It makes you feel like you can tear down any wall or barrier before you. It treats life like a pedestal for you to stand on and not one for you to be crushed by. Hence, her music is for those that want someone to say, “Yeah, life can really suck, but we still have to live it: not survive it. LIVE IT!”. Ultimately, that is the lesson and aura of Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings.
Often, life can feel like it is unbearable or not worth living. It seems like a waiting game for a mystical betterment or happy place to give us permission to be present in our day to day. Thus, when you hear Jones say she is a little tired, but still be a beacon of energy and forwardness, you want to be the same. Although to be fair, Jones’ form of tiredness still has the spiritual force of an army, while most people’s tiredness make them look like a one-eyed cat that has never known sleep. Still, the overall musicianship and spiritual connection of Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings is something to be witnessed.
“100 Days, 100 Nights” My Favorite Song of Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings
This concert was like seeing music in its purest form. There was no additions or preservatives: just pure music. It was a moment where Heaven told earth, it existed and can be attained if you let go and dance in happiness. Thus, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings reminded me and all the audience that music is a very human-based creation, and, for that, it lives and breathes through higher spirits.
