by emma schoors
“Micky James - Live At The Met - The Philadelphia Special” is an exhilarating, soulful live show full of incredible vocals and raw musicianship.
One of my closest held beliefs about music is when you hear a song you immediately adore, or see a musician who’s self-expression you admire, you have to say something. Because though the chances are the musician gets similar comments all the time, it’s always worth it to express that love. I will always be afraid of not fully incapsulating what’s great about the music I love, or in this case a live show that connected heavily with me, but I have to try.
Though I’ve been an admirer and fan of Micky James’ work since the end of 2017, I came into the live show with no specific expectations. Concerts are fluid and shouldn’t always be compared to the recorded versions of the setlist. But I was utterly blown away by what I heard as the opening song, “Tie Me Up,” began.
Watching musicians get comfortable onstage is always amazing, but especially so with this performance. Imaginative lyricism reminiscent of a late-60’s Beatles track broke through right away with the opening lines:
“I'm up with Lisa in the stars with her rubies
While the ant hill animal people
look up and look through me.
I'm seeing crystal clear, kaleidoscope,
deer in the headlights.
So full of life, so drop your kite, Mr. Sinister.
Let me go.”
Guitarist Ryder Stuart immediately gripped audiences with his guitar parts, notably with the incredibly clean riff that plays just before the second verse of “Tie Me Up,” as well as the beautiful guitar nearing the end of “Walk The Line.”
Speaking of, “Walk The Line” was one of the most stunning live performances I have ever heard. It’s hard to overstate how difficult it can be to find a sound and look that truly reflects how a musician feels and who they are, but this performance in particular felt so utterly raw and authentic. Bassist Adam Jessamine was one of the highlights; the bass in the entire show was phenomenal, but I found myself appreciating the low end even more during this track. Starting at 17 minutes and 34 seconds all four musicians began the second verse, and the build up of the first verse became completely worthwhile. About a minute later, James sang one of the most hard-hitting lines:
“I won't cover my tracks, never look back.
Hear the footsteps are following my back.”
Drummer Josh Grigsby shone on “Rest Of The Best,” with a hard-hitting drum intro and a firm hold on the rest of the song. It should not be overlooked how effective his drumming is during the rest of the performance, though: songs like “Kings” and “New Heart” were made infinitely better through his craft.
One of the most impressive parts of the performance was James’ seemingly effortless voice control. He navigated “New Heart” by moving in and out of falsetto like it was nothing. Though I knew his voice was fantastic, there was something about the electricity and passion evident in the live show that accentuated it.
If there’s one artist you check out this month, let it be Micky James. If there’s one concert you watch, let it be “Live At The Met.” Each and every song was performed beautifully, and the lyrics will leave you knowing a little more about yourself than you knew walking in.