November 22, 2007 - Concert Review: BB King Club (New York) - Second Show

Sunday, 07 February 2010 12:04

An article by Jesse - November 22, 2007

Last night's second show will sadly not go down in the music history book's as Sly Stone's triumphant return to New York, but for the few hundred who witnessed this event (by no means were there 1,000 people at BB King's, as previously reported. The club was at least 1/3 full), we were given something very special, something no one could have imagined possible if they were familiar with the backstory of the legend's withdrawal from the public-eye or if they saw the infamous 2006 Grammy cameo.

Around 11:30 (an hour after showtime), a peculiar French woman came out on stage to kill time. No one knew what this woman's significance was, and as she unenthusiactlly began to mispronounce Sly song titles, the crowd mind began to think Sly wasn't coming...for about a second.

Sly interrupted this mysterious woman's failed pepping, swiftly hopping on stage and pacing around before a stunned crowd, bearing a smile that only meant he was in a good mood. He was cursing and revealed to us that he had not rehearsed for the show. Nevertheless, he brought out the band one by one, leading them into "Thank You," beginning a two-hour late-night set of sloppy and concise jams, the way funk was meant to be played. Sly was elated, pumping his fists and constantly giving his hand out to the crowd in front of the stage. His body was frail, but his spirit was there. His voice was also surprisingly in great shape.

The show certainly had it's peculiar moments, specifically Sly's choice of political rant: pedophilia and seatbelts on school buses. But he was simply happy to have us around, a small but jovial crowd to entertain (his constant noodling on his vocoder was humoring). I am still reckoning with this event, but all I know is that I got to see Sylvester Stewart (my icon) in person, something I would have deemed impossible just as far back as several months ago. I feel blessed to have looked into the eyes of one of the most underrated (and mysterious) minds in modern pop culture.

Songs played (no particular order): Thank You (Fallenten Me Be Mice Elf Agin), Dance to the Music, Family Affair, Sing A Simple Song, Stand!, Don't Call Me Nigger Whitey, Hot Fun in the Summertime (w/Paul Schaffer) & I Want to Take You Higher