It’s been awhile since I’ve been at the Kennedy Center (the last time I came it was with my Auntie Cheryl and she brought me to see Smokey Robinson. We must have been in a box for we were closer but not on the floor. Tonight for Alice Smith and Bilal I am in the Balcony, 3rd row on the aisle. The view is actually pretty good and get this…there are seats. Yes, actual seats so I can sit down and rest my feet (although my knee began to hurt).

    The show was set to start at 8pm and began at about 8:15-8:20 pm. There are no opening acts just Alice and Bilal and they made an announcement to refrain from taking pictures (I ignored it, after all I need them for my blog so I snapped a few/just enough to use. Now I had no idea who Alice Smith was initially when I got the ticket (I just went off of knowing Bilal’s music). I did however after my ticket purchase go and listen to some of her music. I instantly fell in love with her song “She” so of course I was hoping that she’d sing that tonight and she didn’t (a lot of people requested it by shouting it out when she announced she had one more) because there wasn’t enough time. She did however sing a lot of other songs and one sounded familiar.

    Now I’m going to be really honest with you all, I’ve been really tired all day due to my getting in late last night from a show (Brent Faiyaz) and not going to sleep until 4am and being up and out since 8:30 am. In all seriousness I almost fell asleep on the Lyft on the way here (I was not about to fool with parking so I parked at my aunt’s house in SW). Now combine my crazy schedule of the day with rainy weather, having just ate, then going to a show where I can sit down and I’m in the dark…you’re practically telling me to take it easy and rest my eyes. If you could’ve seen me I looked like my 94 year old great grandmother when she starts nodding off to sleep. Every now and then I would pop up to wake myself up because I didn’t want the people next to me and behind me seeing me fall asleep.

    I would say I saw about 70% of the show and it’s not to say that they weren’t good, they both did well (even though all the songs Bilal song I had never heard of before) and Alice sang some nice covers of other songs. Alice Smith has a voice on her and that range, oh that range when you hear it live it is beautiful. I loved the sparkle sparkle dress she had on tonight (I like flashy and colorful). I like Bilal I do but he looked like a cross between a homeless man and Where’s Waldo from the hood. But his sound is very interesting. Now to me he sounds like a mix between Prince and Anderson Paak mixed with his own sound (so combine the 3). He ended the show and before I left the seat I already requested my Lyft. It might be over but there were still recaps to do. Was it worth it yes, I just wish I wasn’t as tired as I was so I could’ve enjoyed it more.

The next show might be Monday and it would be Joel Gallagher. I was sent an email asking if I wanted a free ticket and though I work I’m thinking why not. I won’t be able to see the entire show but I should be able to see enough to see if I like it. The jury is still out on that one as I await the next email…