Now I Got A Song I Can Sing

If you haven’t caught on to it yet, I’m all about getting out of my comfort zone. I love my pop-punk and metal shows, but I also love shows that aren’t what I typically listen to because they open my eyes to a whole other world that is out there. Maybe the show isn’t quite my cup of tea; maybe I even leave a little early because I get bored with it or it just doesn’t do it for me, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop doing it. I started my ventures outside of my comfort zone on Sunday night at The Varsity Theater for The War & Treaty. It was a gorgeous show, but definitely much calmer than what I tend to go for. My journey outside my box continued Monday night at the always-amazing Dakota to see The Blind Boys of Alabama.

You know that name, right? You absolutely should because this band has been around since 1939. I’ll let that sink in for a minute before moving on. 1939. That’s 87 years ago (don’t worry, I had to use a calculator too). Sure, it wasn’t the original members I saw on Monday night, but I felt the legacy of this group instantly and knew within the first few seconds of their set that this was something truly special, precious, and the perfect way to spend a Monday night.

Before I get into this, let me say that, yes, The Blind Boys of Alabama are, in fact, blind. That’s the whole point. Although the group has constantly changed and evolved over the years, one thing has remained true: most of the musicians in this group are visually impaired. That’s not to say all of them are, but the fact that even some of them may not have any sight really speaks volumes about the power of music. I’m not going to get super deep into this because I could go on for years, but, you know, when you’re playing weird car games with your friends and shooting random questions back and forth on a road trip? Have you ever come across the question, “Would you rather be blind or deaf?” I always choose blind because, even without sight, you still have music, and, for so many other people in the world, that is what keeps us alive.

Stylistically, The Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel group. It’s that simple on paper, but when you listen to them and watch them perform live, you realize they are so much more than that. There were moments of gospel-drenched anthems that made me feel like I was at a church of sorts, but there were also funk-filled moments that made me wonder if it would be weird to get up from my seat and start dancing around the balcony. Whether the group was performing a serious song or one of their more danceable tracks, something felt beautiful about it all, and I think that came from watching the three vocalists front and center on stage.

Each of the three vocalists brought something different to the table. Rev. Julius Love was in the middle and brought a more refined, classic vibe to both the room and the vocals. His voice was smooth and beautiful, but it had an almost stern tone that instantly commanded you in an intimidating way, yet soft around the edges and nothing short of stunning. Sterling Glass, sitting on Rev. Julius Love’s right, brought a full-bodied, soulful spirit to the mix. Every time he took over the speakers, I felt wrapped in a velvety, warm blanket in the best kind of way. Sterling felt a wee bit silly and had just a wee bit more of a personality in his performance than Rev. Julius Love. Closing out the night as one of the three main vocalists was Dr. JW Smith. I could not take my eyes off this man. He wasn’t just singing the words; he was feeling them– every one of them. Even without a microphone held up to his mouth, he joined in such an infectiously joyous way with little words and sounds of praise here and there.

Although each of the men at the front had something different to bring to the table and a different tone and vibe, they all came together to create perfect harmony. The band behind them definitely helped. I felt like the band members came off a little reserved during the performance, but you couldn’t ignore their talent or the respect they showed the main vocalists. Although I could hear solos throughout all the instruments on stage, I found myself watching the three men at the front of the stage because they brought me so much joy. At first, I felt guilty about this because I felt like I should be showing the band members a bit more respect, but as I watched the band and the way they just kind of stayed in the shadows while playing through the set, I realized that this was the point, and that made me love everything about this performance even more.

The audience on Monday night got a little bit of everything. We got the classic, gospel-styled hymns, but we also got some stellar covers scattered throughout the set, along with originals that spanned from heartbreakingly stunning to booty-shaking amazing. I didn’t care what song I was listening to; my eyes were glued to that stage throughout the performance, and my heart was so damn full that there are just no words to accurately describe that or the joy that I still feel in my soul the morning after.