If you are one Mary J. Blige Damn on a tour called “For My Fans”, you would better know what to do and how and when to do it. If you sing along with her hit 2007 “Just Fine”, would you better belt “Iooo!” At the top of the lungs after she hits the song’s title six times.
Of course, A did not disappoint and even made a playful but thunderous call-and-response towards the end of the song. Monday night at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena was just the third stop on her first tour since her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, “For my fans”, But she is already in top form. And of course, her music is not the only thing for the fans – she also has life lessons. To start the second half of her concert, a pre -produced video signette was shown.
“I began to accept all of me, every shortcoming,” she testified in the video. “I started to see -” shit, I’m not that bad. “The work accepts you … I got work to do on me, because I want to live. You don’t have to wait until you are perfect to feel worth it …”
The lights went low, and MJB came back out on stage to “enough Cryin” while standing between two giant -like structures of a woman’s forearms and hands. The hands of the hands were open in a receiving way and a crown hung over the hands. A hologram bust of Mary with her hair tied in a bun floated above her. She walked slowly, escorted the arm-in arm of two male dancers, towards the front of the stage and sang with power.
“Don’t want to play houses no more/ so stupid to think you gon ‘marry me/ I have to be looking to think I need someone to carry me/ I’ve done enough to cry …”
While most of the measures took place on their heads, Blige actually started the night at a smaller second stage towards the back of the arena. Before her arrival, all eyes were focused forward, but much to everyone’s surprise, the headlights inform the smaller stage, where the house’s DJ was set up. Blige got up under the stage in a large white fur, sunglasses and silver body with a hood, waved and blew kisses while the music for “Take me as I am” played.
The fans in that section were so close to the stage, they could actually touch it, and when Blige sang and slowly walked towards the front via a track, she bent over to slap five and shake hands on her admirers.
“Atl, I’ll see you!” She said after the song was done. “I’ve always wanted to be in the audience with the fans. I always said I wish I could give everyone a big hug and shake my hands. It must feel like a dream! Thank you for blessing me, thank you for loving me. You’re ready? “
She then landered into “a dream”, fittingly enough. A colossal crown came down from above on stage when the song ended – big enough that Mary herself could fit into it. The royal headgear wore the queen (via wired cables) above the audience. Mary, who landed cautiously on mainstage, Mary hit strongly with her pillars, including “Mary Jane (all night),” “I Can Love You” and “No More Drama”, sometimes dips in newer jam from her latest album “Gratitude” , “Like” do you need more “and” still believe in love. “
During her biggest ballads, such as “I’m going down” and “Not gon” crying, “she let the ladies in the audience take over and held the microphone while the audience crowned in harmony.
Towards the end of the latter, it seemed as if Mary caught the Holy Spirit: “I’m not! I’m not! “She shouted a dozen times, like a pastor on Sunday morning. It wasn’t lyrics – she released raw feelings.
“You can’t make me! I’m not going to cry! I’ve come too far! I love my peace of mind! You won’t make me cry! I don’t want to hear the bullshit that I used to cry … It’s a new day and I’m a new bitch! I will not let you do it against me again – always! I’ve come too far … Wipe your tears. “
After the song’s conclusion, she said, “Shiiiit – Ladies, we’ve come too far. Peace of mind is worth a billion dollars right now – that’s it really. ”
But she also told the crowd that she has come to the place for healing. She even talked about a transformative conversation she had with her father, who “abandoned” her and sister when they were young, noting that he suffered PTSD from fighting in the Vietnam War, and she forgiven him.
But she ended the evening on a high tone with a series of bangers – “Every day it rains”, “was happy” and the final “Family Affair.” And for MJB -Trogen, that’s exactly what “for my fans” tour is.
