It's always been about time

When SWV's Leanne "Lelee" Lyons thanked the crowd for "that hood love," during their show last night at New York's B.B. King Club & Grill, no one said, "Right back atcha," as far as I heard. But they should have. The entire affair was endearingly shoddy (...& Grill). A 40th birthday party of sorts for lead singer Cheryl "Coko" Clemons, the night featured a roughly cobbled together video package devoted to her life (she dabbed her tears with a stack of napkins while it played on big screens), performances from people you haven't thought about in years (namely, City High's Claudette Ortiz, who sang Coko's "Sunshine" while consulting with a lyric sheet on the floor throughout, and 702's Kameelah Williams, who tore up SWV's "Rain") and a portion in which each SWV member was awarded a plaque from Anthony Maddox (?) and Soul Train in recognition of the group's "outstanding contribution to rhythm and blues." Lelee reported that her plaque meant "more than a Grammy right now." I think if you allowed her to opportunity to win an actual Grammy, she might rescind that statement. (Taj, in contrast, remarked, "This is so cute.")

After the tribute performances and makeshift awards show, the trio reemerged for a disappointingly short set of their greatest hits (full set list: "Right Here/Human Nature," "I'm So Into You," "Anything (Old Skool Remix)" [with Taj and LeLee subbing for Meth and ODB during the rap portion], "Use Your Heart," "I Wanna Be Where You Are" [Michael Jackson cover] and "Weak"). Lil' Mo, who'd been stuck in traffic during the serenading portion of the show, interrupted their set to duet with her husband on SWV's "Always On My Mind." Lil' Mo could sing the ingredients list on a shampoo bottle while painfully defecating in a bathroom and a church would still automatically form around her, fainting ladies touched by the spirit and all. Do I even need to tell you how hard she killed it?

Coko's nails are shorter and her butt is bigger, but her style is as tacky as ever (her bedazzled leggings were a camel toe factory that had already closed shop for the night, luckily for everyone). She and her sisters sounded great (weirdly, their harmonies have only strengthened over the years), were energetic (they can all still kick in sync!) and at least were not indulgent. (Given the large amount of lesbians in the house, I'm sure a bunch of us were silently commiserating over "Downtown" not making the cut.) The tickets had a face value of $22, so I figure SWV gave us our money's worth, but not much more. They informed us they were "back" and to a packed room of New Yorkers for at least one night, they were.

The night was dedicated to those who enjoy living in the past, and having experienced it, I can't make a good case against such an event. It wasn't magical (nostalgia's too common of a force to feel mysterious or ineffable -- if anything is what it is, it's that), but it did feel special. Before SWV hit the stage, Kiss FM's Chuck Chillout played a few hours' worth of party jams from the past 30 years of soulful music. I can't tell you how great it is in 2010 to be in a room full of people who audibly gasp for the opening strains of Guy's "I Like," or who can sing Groove Theory's "Tell Me" verbatim. Being surrounded by a Chuck-induced sing-a-long of Soul for Real's "Candy Rain" felt like a sonic hug.

Sometimes if I feel nostalgic for a prolonged time, or if my listening turns retro for too long, I find myself pushing back, lest I surrender to age and appear to be out of sync with the times. But I felt things last night that I haven't felt since sweaty house parties in my early high school years. In its particular way that does nothing for the lines on your face, music just might be the key to eternal youth. It is, at least, something well worth fooling yourself with, anyway.

Comments

[veg]

God, you are deliciously reflective, sweet Rich, bearing witness to deep problems in the way we all consume popular music and culture--nostalgia versus new wave. When's your book coming out?

[cizmad]

Amusingly (to me, at least), I drove by B.B. King while passing through the city en route from Philadelphia to LaGuardia to pick up my sister, saw SWV on the marquee and immediately thought "SWV? Who would go see SWV in 2010... wait, I totally would."

So I'm glad you got to.

[Noah]

Lil' Mo belting out shampoo ingredients while straining to defecate is a visual for the ages. I salute you sir.

[Matt]

I can't believe I missed this. I need to remember to check BB King's website more often. That set list is criminally lacking, though. Where's Black Pudd'n? It separates the boys from the men.

[Agenda Debonaire]

Dead dead DEAD!!! Then ALIVE ALL OVER AGAIN! Rich, you got my heart all caught up with this one... *sigh*

[gee_gee]

I love that you attended this ghetto-ass event. And hate that you didn't invite us.

[April Pastorius Wise]

My family has SWV to thank for making my uncle's estate a nice little bit of money in the 90's. A judge agreed with us that Rain is a straight rip-off of Jaco Pastorius' Portrait Of Tracy. Chingy did the same thing with Pullin' Me Back quite a few years later....though he did it legally.

Thank you, majority of the hip hop world for being so unoriginal!

-a pastorius

[sean ingram]

who is wrote this article sound so ignorant. the good things is we know who SWV is we do not or care not to know this play play author

[dee]

Aw honey. The same thing happened to me(Candy Rain/Tell me singalong at a club) a month ago. It's just something about a group of people simultaneously singing a song from back in the day...gets me every time.

[Brian]

I haven't liked Taj since she was on Survivor, sorry.

But Coko <3

[Quanah]

This sounds like so much fun. I see we're around the same age too (I'm 32). Glad you had fun and glad they sounded good.

Question, why isn't Lil Mo more popular? She can sing like no one's business.

[K. Rock]

I love that you went to this. I think I am in love with you. Will you love me back?

[agelessbbw]

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[agnieszka]

" I can't tell you how great it is in 2010 to be in a room full of people who audibly gasp for the opening strains of Guy's "I Like," or who can sing Groove Theory's "Tell Me" verbatim. Being surrounded by a Chuck-induced sing-a-long of Soul for Real's "Candy Rain" felt like a sonic hug."

I emphatically concur! I realize this comment is a bit belated but came to your site today to listen to the Jak&Jil mix from a couple years ago.

Thanks for the jams.

[tsane]

well the tribute couldnt of been that bad if coko was in tears!!!

[Affiliate Marketing]

Cool video!