In January the first lady of Hip Hop Soul arrived in the land of morning calm and shook things up! It was her first time in Korea and I’m glad she made Seoul a stop on her Music Saved My Life World Tour. The audience at Peace Hall on the campus of Kyunghee University seemed equal parts Korean and Werstern. I knew Mary had her fans here, but I didn’t expect the auditorium to be so packed. The late arrivals who must not have bothered to purchase tickets online stood in a que that snaked throughout the hall and back outside into the cold.
I’m sorry to say that I missed the opening performance of Superstar K finalist Jang Jae-in. We arrived just as she finished up her last high note, which was lovely by the way. Still, Mary was the draw and in moments her band took their places, the back up singers sashayed nex to them, and Mary J exploded on stage in a burst of neon light and raw note of all too familiar song.
The crowd embraced her. She sent the loved back all night long with hit after hit song from her very first hit album, What’s The 411, to more current records from Stronger with each Tear. She stalked and stomped the stage in her signature street tough but sexy outfit (skin tight black tights, killer stiletto boots, big golden hoop earrings) pouring every once of passion and strength into each and every verse. The audience ate it up.
Occasionally a couple of back up studs would come join Mary as she showed us she still had moves in case we’d forgotten, but she didn’t need them. She owned the stage with her stage presence and voice alone. No stunts or theatrics or team of back up danceres were needed or wanted. The audience had everything it needed in Mary’s voice and heart.
It all ended too soon for me, but the entire experience left me wanting more acts of such caliber to come to Korea.
