This one did not get off to a very good start.  Mass confusion outside the venue as people had no idea where to stand or queue.  We were advised by security at the venue to queue in a long line that stretched a couple of hundred yards and we only started moving an hour after the scheduled start of the gig.   When we eventually arrived at the front building we were then informed we had been waiting in the wrong area for over an hour.  Not best pleased, we eventually took our place near the front of the stage.  At this point I would like to mention the one member of security personnel who was polite helpful and very good at his job – Paul Lamb you are a breath of fresh air, but it is a shame your colleagues were useless and didn’t even see a punch up right in front of the stage half way through the gig.

Sadly, we had lost the places that our early arrival deserved, and we were then subjected to some pretty naff warm ups.  It just stank of loads of acts brought in to perform for free in an effort to keep costs down.  Kat managed to hold it together quite well; he is a very sharp man and a perfect host for this type of gig.  Before we get in to Musiq’s performance – one more bad thing – the DJs.  Whoever these idiots were they could not mix, they could not scratch and worst of all – they could not select.  How about ‘Angie Stone – No More Rain’ into ‘Montell – This Is How We Do It’ into ‘Mims – This Is Why I’m Hot’.  Truly awful.

So we come to the man himself – the first time I have seen him live – but not the first time I’ve heard many utter the words “He’s really short isn’t he?”.  Tell you what – he’s not short of big tunes.  Now into his fourth studio album ‘LuvanMusiq’  he now has the luxury of opening with the neo-soul monster track “Just Friends”.

The performance itself was very stop start, almost like a live album was being recorded, but no doubt about it Musiq was sounding good.  I had been told by friends that at previous gigs his entire performance was automated, with all backing tracks and vocals in place leading to an impersonal session.  Not this time, backed by a full band he stormed through some of the tracks we’ve come to love since we first heard him in 2000 with ‘Aijuswanaseing’. 

 He took time out to perform 3 records from greats that we lost recently with a very accurate homage to James Brown but for me the tune of the night was ‘ForTheNight’.   Making us think we was being rushed off the stage (in truth, I’m sure the venue would have had him perform all night) there was a rather low key intro to the tune of the moment ‘B.U.D.D.Y’ then a swift disappearing act.

They didn’t reappear for an encore, and at £100 for a ‘meet and greet’, I reckon that’s the last any paying punter in the arena would have seen of Musiq for this visit. 

It was good to see him perform for the first time and with a full band, but I must admit to feeling that the sole motivation for Musiq and crew was money.  You know what I mean - you’ve been to one of these gigs before. Get to London - make the right moves – smile a lot - say the right things - get the money - go home.   That being said, I would go and see him again but preferably at a much smaller venue.

JS