From 1970s hits to fist-pumping beats, live concerts are made for life-long memories. PHOTO CREDIT: Ronan Himelrick
For many music fans, summer represents an exciting time, with many artists going on summer tours and performing their pieces across the world.
This summer, I had the opportunity to see two concerts with two wildly different vibes: James Taylor and Pitbull.
On July 1, I went to James Taylor’s show at the Amica Mutual Pavilion (formerly known as the Dunkin Donuts Center) in Providence.
Taylor took to the dimly lit stage accompanied by a handful of artists and background singers, including his son, Henry, who is known in the Rhode Island community for his solo music.
Throughout the two-hour-long performance, Taylor and company played various hits from his decades-long career, along with some deeper cuts, displaying his mastery of the guitar and mellow baritone voice.
He opened with “Mexico,” a clear crowd favorite as nearly everyone in attendance was singing along.
Between each song, Taylor introduced his bandmates while sharing stories from his past. He is originally from Massachusetts, so coming to Providence was a New England “homecoming” for him.
Taylor’s music is very sentimental to me, and I felt a personal connection with many of the songs he performed. His renditions of “Sweet Baby James” and “Up on The Roof” were some of my favorites that night.
To close out the night, Taylor performed “Fire and Rain” from his 1970 album “Sweet Baby James.” As the opening guitar notes were played, a wave of energy spread through the crowd, and nearly everyone rose to their feet.
At the conclusion of the show, Taylor thanked the crowd for their support throughout the night and his 50-year career. At 74 years old, this might have been one of Taylor’s last large-venue performances, which made it incredibly special for me.
Taylor created a warm and cozy atmosphere through his music and all of the small interactions with the crowd. I could tell that he really enjoys his job. This was not an overly-exciting concert: there were no flashing lights, theatrics or pyrotechnics, but there was a feeling of comfort and joy that only a man like James Taylor could bring.
Pitbull, on the other hand, was completely different.
Mr. 305 came out with a bang, quite literally. After Iggy Azalea opened with her songs “Fancy” and “Black Widow,” among others (which I missed due to a traffic jam in the parking lot), Pitbull’s entrance was accompanied by a video, lights, smoke and a full stage of energetic dancers. Under the roof and on the lawn at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA, 25,000 fans danced and screamed for Mr. Worldwide.
The summer heat didn’t stop anyone in attendance from cheering on Pitbull and his crew.
For nearly two and a half hours, Pitbull performed song after song, bringing energy to each track. The nonstop nature of this show kept everyone moving and dancing, and Pitbull clearly felt that energy onstage.
By the time the third song started, I had already lost my voice and sweated through my shirt, but I didn’t care. I was surrounded by people having fun, and I was having a blast myself.
I don’t know if I’ve danced in public more than that night, but I’m glad that I did. Pitbull is far from my favorite artist, but there’s no denying that he puts on a fantastically energetic show.
I love music, but even more, I love live music. Seeing a band or artist live creates such an impactful feeling that I will never forget. This summer, I got to witness two drastically different artists do what they love, and I can’t wait to see more live music in the future.