The Lawn and pavilion at Blossom Music Center were packed to capacity with people from every walk of life, all with one goal in mind: to experience THE HOT SUMMER NIGHTS extravaganza that was the 90s reminisce people have been waiting for, a co-headline show of one of the best-selling American girl groups TLC, as well as the Jamaican reggae/dancehall star that everyone loves Shaggy. Accompanied by En Vogue as well as Sean Kingston to set the party off right. This reviewer, unfortunately, missed those two incredible opening acts (DAMN TRAFFIC!) but based on crowd chatter, everyone seemed to enjoy it!
TLC came out with a bang. Complemented by a crew of male dancers flipping and flying all over the stage, members Tionne “T-Boz Watkins and Rozanda “Chilli” Thomas showed that they hadn’t lost a step, hitting all of their signature moves. They danced and sang like it was 1992. During the opening number, “Aint 2 Proud 2 Beg” they were joined via backing track by Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, the “L” in TLC. (Lopez passed away in 2002.) Rather than replace her, as they have in the past, or have one of the remaining members sing her parts, TLC chose backing tracks. It was a great choice. Fans went crazy any time they heard her voice come pierce through the speakers.
The Stage design was pretty simple with ample colorful lighting fixtures. The overall simplicity allowed the music and performance ability to stand for themselves. The women embraced their 20-year-old selves and left everyone grooving along to their favorites like “Creep” and “Baby-Baby-Baby.” The high-energy set, though brief (10 songs) came to a close with two of their most timeless classics “No Scrubs” and “Waterfalls,” which naturally had the whole audience singing along.
It was Shaggy’s turn to close the show on Wednesday night. The Jamaican native had the crowd in the palm of his hand through the entirety of his set. The only way to describe Shaggy is SHAGADELIC. The 54-year-old had sex appeal that was energetic and palpable. Shaking his hips and dancing all over the stage while wearing an all-white outfit giving the clean yet dirty (wink, wink) uncle look. Shaggy made Blossom a backyard BBQ, in which everyone was family having the time of their lives, vibing out to the spirited reggae rhythms. He was backed by a stellar live band that did not miss a beat. They ran through a greatest hits package with the crowd on their feet all night, with bops like “Boombastic” and “Angel.” In addition to his own songs, he threw in a few covers, including a great rendition of the Frank Sinatra classic, “That’s Life,” which was something everyone did not know they needed until they heard it. The biggest cheers of the night came when Shaggy closed his set out with his biggest hit, “It Wasn’t Me.” The perfect way to close out a ‘Hot Summer Night,’ with the man, the myth, the legend, and the guilty Shaggy. I could not have asked for a better Wednesday night.
