Access Atlanta > Arts > Our Reviews > Archives > 2004 > October > 24 > Entry
Jill Scott’s ‘Golden’ at DeKalb Atlanta Centre
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If one were to list on paper what makes a recording artist great it would include much of what Jill Scott is on stage.
First, the R&B singer has an exceptional voice. Where many of her peers seem to focus on atmosphere, effect or theatrics, Scott brings warmth, technical ability and power in appropriate doses. A gift made even more evident Saturday night at the Dekalb Atlanta Centre, where the acoustics were particularly complimentary.
Second, the exceptional vocalist has occasionally incredible things to sing. Key word: occasionally. Though Scott’s two studio albums are dotted with simple, “sister-girl” tracks like “Gettin’ In the Way,” writing, melody and emotion make powerhouses out of singles like “He Loves Me,” “Rasool” and “I Keep.”
Third, her eight-person musical accompaniment was instrumental in making her concert a better-than-the-album experience; reworking the soulful “The Way” into a rock scorcher; and closing dance single “Golden” with a jazzy piano vamp.
And finally, Scott makes her audiences feel good - in that gushy, Oprah kind of way. At the end of “Slowly Surely” she asked her fans to yell “I do love me!” and hug themselves. A pleasant gesture especially needed after many in the capacity crowd endured an hour-long line, or more, only to spend three more on their feet for the standing-room-only show.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Pop Music
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By Erica
October 25, 2004 9:13 AM | Link to this
great concert, but it was hard to truely enjoy it when your feet were numb, and to think I had on flat shoes.
By Danielle
October 25, 2004 10:19 AM | Link to this
The concert was excellent. My feet were burning from the experience. I have tickets to Lauryn Hill Concert on Saturday I don’t know if I can stand the pain.
By Darcina
October 25, 2004 2:31 PM | Link to this
Jill Scott was awesome and exceptionally attentive to her audience’s desire for more. She continued the concert with not 1 but 2 encores singing a total of 5 additional songs! What’s more amazing is there were possibly only 200 fans remaining at the second encore, now what star sticks around for 300 out of 2000 original fans!!
By marilynn
October 25, 2004 4:51 PM | Link to this
i was at the venue at 7.00 with my friend and by the time we parked, we noticed a line of over l,000 people outside the venue. we did not get in until after 9.15 p.m. and stayed only 5 minutes, because it was oversold, overheated and overcrowded—wall to wall, inch to inch people. i didn’t see jill, but i did see the ‘maximum capacity’ sign on the wall which said 699 persons. ‘nuff said. shame on the promotor. i hope to see miss jill at a real venue some day. a big disappointment since i got my tickets back in early august. the police and fire departments were there threatening to shut the place down—i’m not used to that.
By Stephan
October 26, 2004 9:25 AM | Link to this
I though Jill Scott and Floetry were excellent. I am glad to still know that we have real singers out there. Everything the stars sang, sounded exactly like their records. hence to Ashlee Simpson. I believe their showmanship showed while they are still not megastars where the should be. They will be around a long time..
By Kim
October 26, 2004 12:02 PM | Link to this
Floetry and Jill Scott gave an excellent concert. I was very unhappy about having to stand for 2 hours in line and 5 more hours once inside. I had to leave the concert after Jill sing “Golden” because my feet were hurting so bad. I will never attend another concert at the Dekalb Atl Ctr.
By Mendi
October 26, 2004 12:04 PM | Link to this
I agree with most, the concert was excellent. Jill and Floerty were amazing. I personally have not heard a voice like Jill Scott since Whitney was at her prime! Again, like most, I hope to see Jill again, just at another venue.
By Nichole
October 26, 2004 12:09 PM | Link to this
I really enjoyed the Erykah Badu and Jill Scott concerts. Although Erykah was not as crowded as Jill Scott. I had a fear that something would happen to stir the crowd and I would have to make a vast getaway. It was truly an unsafe situation for both. We were lied to, because the venue said that there would be seating and there was no seating. People were smoking and pushing and it just made it very unsafe. I will NEVER attend any concert at that venue ever again. I believe the people were lead to believe that it was going to be an intimate concert when it was truly a fire hazzard. People were leaving in flocks because of standing for long periods of time on the hard concrete. It was a great concert, but AWFUL VENUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Roel Lopez
October 28, 2004 1:41 PM | Link to this
MESSAGE FROM THE MANAGER ROEL LOPEZ, MANAGER, DEKALB ATLANTA CENTRE
I would first like to apologize for any inconvenience that anyone may have had during this event. It is always our intention to make every event the best possible.
The DAC is an open floor venue, which means that we can accomodate each show at the promoter’s wish. For these concerts, they requested to have a standing room only concert in order to accomodate as many people as possible. Because the show was sold out, many people were under the impression that the concert began at 7PM, when actually doors opened at 7PM. By 4:30 people began to arrive so by 6PM we already had a full line down the length of the parking lot.
The series is sponsored by a tobacco company. Under the national settlement act against the tobacco industry their are many restrictions that we have to follow. Each person has to have a valid ID showing that they are 18 and over. And each person has to have their ID checked at two different locations, as requested by the promoter. We can not allow any cameras or video which means that everyone has to be inspected, aside from that, we still have to wristband for drinking age and either wand or pat down men entering the venue, as well as scan tickets all of which is requested by the organizing company. This took longer than any regular concert and yes it took us a while to get everyone in, but as a venue I had no other choice.
The show was never over sold, although there were 2-3 calls made to the fire department from people complaining that the venue was over crowded. The fire marshall did respond as they are obligated but found that we were under every complience and never threatened to shut down the show. Even after the second and third call to the fire marshall they understood that these were simply complaints. Because the show is sold out it was going to be a little more crowded than usual but never over our legal capacity. To my understanding everyone was allowed to enter before Jill Scott began performing and no one was ever turned away. Floetry was not able to push back their performance time due to scheduling but Jill Scott agreed to wait until everyone was in the building. This is not the first time we have handled a sold out event and are aware and capable of doing so.
I regret that individuals left the concert with the wrong impression of my venue. Naturally this company will return to Chicago and never think twice about this past weekend, yet I and the venue who will remain in Atlanta, will have to try and overcome this experience so that it does not affect any future business.
But there is not much I can do about that now. Again I apologize for any inconvenience and please try to understand that we did everything possible to accomodate the concerns of as many people as possible. We will put forth an extra effort to ensure that this does not happen again. On Friday, I will pay to have some tables and chairs set up during the Chaka Kahn show, but again not enough for everyone, and on Saturday we are requesting additional staff so that we can have 4 entrances instead of two.
The venue would not run the risk of any liability that would place the venue or any individual in any type of danger. This show was not over sold regardless of what some may believe, Ticketmaster and myself would never allow that to happen. If the venue was not equipped for the crowd expected then the fire marshall would have shut us down during any of the three visits that he made to the show. I and the DAC have taken the hit from this event, but we are not the organizing company nor the promoter, the venue was rented to an outside promoter who in turn decided on how the show would be presented and also responsible for the promotions and advertising that took place.
Please be so kind as to publicate my side of the story so that the hard working people of Atlanta can take their own position in this matter. The Dekalb Atlanta Centre provides events for almost every nationality in Atlanta and are glad to do business with everyone.
Roel Lopez Manager Dekalb Atlanta Centre 3595 Clairmont Rd Atlanta GA 30319 Phone 404.982.0989 Fax 404.982.0904 dacinfo@att.net www.dekalbatlantacentre.com
By Felecia
October 29, 2004 9:39 AM | Link to this
My tickets & ticketmaster both said the show starts @ 7:00pm. When we arrived the line was wrapped around to the Clinic. Ridiculous! Luckily I had a friend already in line. We still waited for a hour before we finally got in. It was sooo crowded & hot in there. I was so disappointed in the venue that I will never go back to the DAC again! I bought my tickets for Lauren Hill in August and I sold them because I can not & will not deal with the long line and the over sold concert. Definetly not standing for 4 hours. The DAC should reevaluate their procedures.
By Renee
October 29, 2004 10:06 AM | Link to this
I really enjoyed the Jill Scott concert at the DeKalb Atlanta Center. Unfortunately, the venue was not as pleasant. While I can appreciate the effort put forth by the manager of the facility, the focus was not on the paying public but on the promoters. Long lines, overpriced beverages, and unsafe conditions are enough to keep me and many ticket buyers out of the DAC.
By Chilinda
October 29, 2004 10:50 AM | Link to this
This was my second opportunity to see Jill Scott perform live and it was incredible. I was hoping to see Floetry because I had never seen them before but because of the long line to get in, I was only able to see 10 minutes of their performance.
I read the comments from the manager and I can understand his viewpoint however, the truth of the matter is the concert was promoted, sold and administered under false pretenses. The tickets and the website stated the start time as 7PM. The tickets and the website said the venue was general admission but never stated that it was standing room only.
It is my opinion that anyone operating a venue such as this should be able to react and think quickly in any give situation. Having a line that wrapped around to the clinic should have been a clue that there were going to be some issues. I think it is wonderful that the manager has learned from this event and is trying to make changes for the future, but I can’t help but wonder why he seemed so paralyzed on the night of the event. I have lived in Atlanta my entire life (I remember when this venue was a movie theater) and I have never had a concert experience like this.
Floetry and Jill Scott are wonderful performers and I look forward to seeing them at a venue that is more prepared to deal with the crowds that their talent attracts. I think the Fox Theater would be a great next venue for them.