Brittany Howard: "What Now Tour" with Becca Mancari

2/7/2024

Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine
Edited by Fiza Javid

Thalia Hall - Tuesday, February 6, 2024 - Chicago, Illinois

How lucky are we that Brittany Howard decided to open up her "What Now Tour" right here in Chicago, at Thalia Hall.
The timing-
It coincides with Brittany's latest release, of course titled "What Now", which will be released this Friday the 9th of February.

As for the album- you float.

As for the performance at Thalia Hall to open this leg of her tour- you float even more.
As a seasoned photographer in all things "music"- you learn to anticipate and judge the pit with variances of navigation, all the more to utilize the tight space and get a wide variety of angles and shots that are captivating to the performance.
But also as a die hard music hound, you can't help but be swept away by that aspect as well- some performers clearly standing out above the herd, no matter the genre of music.

And you have to take a step back, to soak it all in, camera gear can wait a few seconds or more.
Such was the case last night at Thalia Hall- the first of two sold out shows for Brittany- with a band in tow that transcends and transfixes, subtle cues intact.
The hooks- even from the get go, with "What Now"- aplenty.
A delicious throwback of sorts- all of it from "What Now"- the melodies so lush and soulful, done to pristine elegance.

Lost in my words, I know- but how to convey all of this without sounding over the top.
Hard to do.
You win me over with melodies, followed by nuances in vocals, then if I can grasp it all, emotion to lyrics.

The elevated nature of Brittany and her compositions just make you stop and take notice- yes, she emotes and conveys emotional heartbreak and pain like it's on her sleeve from yesterday, captivating you in all her questioning of relationships and not so positive end results.

I find myself rethinking what I just witnessed, throughout her entire set, and the lyric aspect of this- the melodies and emotions conveyed so strong and true- hadn't much time to reel that all in unfortunately.

Makes you want to hear the entire show over again to get a grasp of that as well, if I were so honest in writing this up.

But you find yourself gobsmacked in amazement, as was clearly the entire main floor at Thalia Hall- also from my perspective equally caught up in the emotions of it all, a true listening room, with not much talk between folk- seemed like everyone was in hush silence throughout, except at the end of each and every song with loud and rapturous applause.

Brittany Howard- and "What Now"- a show with deep fulfillment, surrounded by a band equal in measure, undertones and sophisticated and elegant restraint the order of the day.
Such a show with Brittany- just so damn liberating.
This review-
My apologies if it seems convoluted or a bit over the top.
But no time to take notes.

All from memory- the entire show.
Mistakes and sideways thinking good.

Like Brittany, navigating a minefield of disruptive relationships, all the while accentuating the positive- well so am I - warts n' all.

This part of her North American Tour- continuing after Thalia Hall to Toronto on the 9th- with stops in Boston, New York and Washington DC.
A must see.

As for her opener- Becca Mancari- another fine example of honest and emotional songwriting,
Very clever, her emotional storytelling, portrayed delicately and succinctly throughout her set- sometimes jagged in tone and beat, and sometimes you can hear a pin drop.
And out comes occasionally that radiant smile, letting you know that all is well and good, at least band wise, with nods and winks that we'll all get through this together.
That she's tight with Brittany Howard speaks volumes as well, sharing a bond of sisterhood love, being there for one another, fighting for their very existence, encouraging one another in fleshing out songs from the head into actual recordings.
Nothing beats questions from the heart songwriting.

And following through with your instincts, and not being constantly swayed by outside detractors.
All of it is meaningful- especially standing up for yourself, and getting used to the word "No".

I love this about Becca, finding her voice and seeing things through the way they ought to be, through your deeply personal singing/ songwriting.
Makes you as an avid listener wanting to make sure you do right by her, especially when it comes to captivating photography.

Like her performance- let's try our best to make things memorable.
What a way to start off the year in regards to live performance.
Two artists that certainly know how to captivate in their own unique way.

Bobby Talamine- JBTV Music Television Chicago

Brittany Howard, Becca Mancari, Thalia Hall, JBTV Music Television, Fiza Javid, Bobby Talamine, Jerry Bryant, Chicago, Live Music

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Brittany Howard: "What Now Tour" with Becca Mancari

Brittany Howard, Becca Mancari, Thalia Hall, JBTV Music Television, Fiza Javid, Bobby Talamine, Jerry Bryant, Chicago, Live Music

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