I would love to tell you that she showed up on time, but with an expected start of 8pm, she made her grand entrance 90 minutes late. I feel no need to complain though, and whilst I can understand others’ annoyance, it seems to me a prerequisite that in the case of Ms. Hill you ready yourself for a bit of waiting, so much so that my family and I were still calmly eating at a nearby Thai restaurant when the doors opened at 6.30pm. We strolled up at 7:30pm and spent two hours nursing the most expensive pints of our lives whilst enjoying the incredible DJs who kept us full up on hip-hop, reggae, motown, funk and soul classics as we waited. It was the stuff of dreams, and it made for just as much singing along as the concert itself.
The main event began with a moving video montage celebrating activists and artists throughout black history, set to an instrumental number performed live. Ms. Hill kicked things off soon after with a wonderfully lively and powerful performance of 'Everything is Everything', leading naturally into the silky smooth 'When It Hurts So Bad'. Her voice was not quite as fluid as once before, and yet it was imbued with such confidence and dexterity that you couldn’t help but be enchanted. As she continued with 'Final Hour' and 'Lost Ones', it became clear that these live shows were Ms. Hill’s opportunity for creative expression. After years of performing the same songs, I can imagine why. She riffed, improvised, ad-libbed and, in its simplest terms, played - played around these known melodies and made them fresh and exciting, staying true to the essence of jazz and hip-hop. I found it endlessly refreshing, and though it made it difficult to sing along at times, at others, for example during the legendary 'Ex-Factor', it made for a euphoric blend of audience and artist. After an emotional performance of 'To Zion', her son, Zion Marley, appeared to perform three songs of his own. For most of the audience this seemed to provide a great chance for a drink or loo break, and though I wasn’t particularly enraptured it was an enjoyable time-filler and kept the atmosphere upbeat as we waited for Lauryn’s return and the infamous 'Doo-
Wop'.
The atmosphere changed once more as Wyclef Jean joined Lauryn on stage. The air in the arena buzzed around us, the energy palpable before they even started. Getting right into it with 'Vocab', 'How Many Mics', and 'Zealots', the Fugees (minus one) felt vibrant and alive. They were hip-hop reborn. Lauryn’s solo performances, whilst powerful and moving, could feel strained, her stage-presence limited. Yet with Wyclef Jean by her side, the pair came to life. With a new flood of energy, and after a short break for Lauryn whilst Wyclef performed the Fugees' fantastic cover of 'No Woman, No Cry', they were back with a bang for the fan favourite 'Killing Me Softly'. Followed by 'Ready or Not', and then Fu-gee-la, we were entranced, exhausted, and intoxicated by this crescendo of energy, collaboration, and joy, and before we knew it the end of this surreal evening had arrived.
Leaving the arena, out into the cold Manchester night, I was struck with disbelief. And though I’m sure many people will tell you Ms. Lauryn Hill is not the power she once was, her voice, her message, and her passion held strong, and with Wyclef Jean by her side the pair almost made me believe I was there those 28 years ago, watching history be made.
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This 62 year old black American loved every minute of Ms L show. I’d love to see her again. She was classy and perfect. COOP Live owe her an apology for bad mics! Seats were comfortable but we stayed on our feet for most of the show.