--- I missed “Save Room, “Tonight,” and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” but I walk in on him referencing his school’s spelling bee – which he apparently won!
--- “Bridge Over Troubled Water” intro involves his grandma, who died when he was 10: “Music helped me navigate troubled water. One of my biggest regrets is she never got to see most of this. I have to think she’s looking down now.”
--- He started high school at 12! College at 16!
--- Whoa, John Legend is from Dayton! His first concert was a Star Search at the Dayton mall. He won a $500 shopping spree to the mall, but Ed McMahon didn’t turn his chair for me. “That’s okay; I can turn my own chair now…”
--- This Stevie Wonder song is not strong.
--- Heh: “Disclaimer, I’m going to be dropping some names tonight.”
--- At his wedding, Stevie randomly played the song he’d been playing on the piano since he was 13!! “My friend Kanye played too”: lllllonnnngg awwwkward pause.
--- “I was number two in my high school class, but going into University of Pennsylvania, I’d never even been on a plane, and I felt like the poorest/non-whitest.”
--- On his John R. Stephens piano credit on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill: “I asked for $500. Y’all laughing like you know how much you’d ask for.” “They started calling me Track 13.”
--- In Philly, he went to a lot of open mic nights – like the one I managed at Busboys the night before, where I referenced him!!!
--- Heh: “I was a management consultant for three years out of college. I created value for our clients -- you might refer to it as BS.”
--- “Stay With You” is no crescendo heading into intermission. Odd…
--- The mood after intermission is night and day: everything’s great!!! The acapella opener and the moody version of “Dancing in the Dark” is haunting. Bruce!!!
--- He was featured on Jay-Z / Linkin Park’s “Numb,” Alicia Keys’ “You Don’t Know My Name,” Estelle’s “American Boy,” and Kanye’s “Jesus Walks”!!!
--- Heh, he got turned down by the record label he’s on now. “The same music they’d heard.”
--- “How am I going to call myself a legend when I don’t even have a record deal yet?” I’ve gotta live up to it! No backup plan. F’ it; I’m going to call myself John Legend. Hahaha, him having to distinguish himself from rockabilly musician and adult-film producer Johnny Legend!!!
--- Wow at his process à He mumbles his melodies first and then adds lyrics!!!
--- “Ordinary People”!!! A masterclass in mood, pacing, and by the end, vocal jungle gym. “Pretty glad I kept it for myself.” Can’t wait to re-listen after seeing the film.
--- Hahaha: “I knew I’d made it in 2005 when Magic and Oprah called me on the same day. I’d never spoken to them before. The who’s who at Oprah’s Legends Ball was off the charts!”
--- “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley: love how it didn’t try to do too much. Spoke for itself.
--- “What’s Goin’ On” felt the opposite. Big choir, way too busy. Whoa at Marvin Gaye being from DC though.
--- “Glory”!!! Startling example of how important all elements of a song are, as it really misses the verses by Common. That said, with the McDonald’s Civil Rights essay intro, the choir (this time majestic), and his instrument, it still soars.
--- “Free” is a meandering misfire. The end is interesting, but overall, meh.
--- “All of Me” intro, about his wife Chrissy Teigen: “She’s the fire to my ice. And she can cook too…She knew it was her from the first lyric: ‘What would I do without your smart mouth’: LOL. The actual song: exquisite!!!
--- Omg at the masses leaving early!
--- “The definition of being cool is being able to be yourself in any circumstance.” Quincy Jones
--- “Memories” is not the song to end on, but I’m glad he went for it if it really spoke to him. Dig the silky electric accompaniment. Aww at this Indian family taking a selfie at the end. He does bring people together. I have legit never seen a concert more of a mix of rages and ages. Fascinating. I take back my dismissal of “Memories.” Fittingly, by the second half, it slays! Falsetto city!! Melody first, lyrics later!!! Introduced everyone by name and lets them be the last ones on stage!!!!
Grade: A+
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