I really couldn’t string two words together after experiencing Lauryn Hill at the Apollo. I was completely speechless. Hill was fierce, flawless, and fabulous. Yes she was a bit late, but who really cares? See Kanye circa 2013. The bright yellow, pink and green lights warmed the stage which was anchored with scrupulous musicians and sassy backing singers while Ms. Hill bounced around conducting a lively opening of Everything is Everything that shrewdly wiped out any negative vibes. But perhaps it was all a one off? Perhaps the bad press dampened my expectations so having the best time dancing to her renditions of Doo Wop and Ready or Not was perhaps even more magical. Perhaps her crazily clever musical progression crafted to climax so perfectly into the deliveries of Bob Marley and Nancy Sinatra was just a fluke. Perhaps Hill offered a mixed platter of soul, hip hop, jazz with a side of funk just as a one off. Perhaps Hill offered immaculate rap only for one night. Perhaps her sanguine honey like voice just happened to be in perfect harmony for the whole show, roughed up with her infamous sugary husk. Perhaps a few people had reason to boo because she strayed from the originals and recreated her classics, but come on, it’s a new tour. She was bound to be reviewed as uncreative if she stuck with her original material and all hail to a musician who can create a whole new show based on old material. Perhaps it was a fluke that Hill lulled us into a dream with just her voice and guitar to hypnotise with the likes of Killing Me Softly. Perhaps it was a one off that Lauryn Hill was absolutely wonderful.
FIRST PUBLISHED AT GBC, OCTOBER 9th 2014
http://gbcmag.com/2014/10/09/review-lauryn-hill-manchester-apollo/
Marina Garvey Birch 