A Little Help From My Friends: A ride with SoMo
Last week I attended The Mill and Mine with one of my friends to see SoMo. Before going to the concert I had heard him on the radio, but I didn’t actually know who he was. Attending once again with a photo pass, I brought along my friend Sara who is a SoMo fan.
The night opened with a performance by Demarious Cole who had my attention the minute he took the stage. He was accompanied by a crew of backup dancers who were just as talented and skilled as the front man himself.
His movements on stage reminded me of a younger Usher. He moved around with ease. His songs weren’t necessarily memorable, but his performance was more than entertaining. His entertainment value is the primary reason why he was on that stage.
The next performance was by a young woman and recent graduate from ETSU, who went by the name PJ. She had a sound that reflected that of R&B but with more modern tones that you might find in an artist such as Tove Lo.
Her lyrics were based more on her own personal experiences with relationships, which I found to be very relatable. I did not know any of the songs she was singing, and she didn’t do any covers.
I think performing covers would have connected her more to the audience since they weren’t familiar with any of her lyrics. However, for a young performer, she had a unique charisma about her, and her energy was apparent.
As expected, SoMo had the best set of the night and delivered with the supreme confidence of a seasoned musician. He was sensual with his movements— seemingly teasing the audience with casual winks and the way he caressed his mic.
SoMo is known for the sexuality of his songs so he was not shy in the way he presented himself. He lost his shirt towards the end of his set which, to the audience, was the climax of the entire show. Young women shoved themselves toward the front of the rail, and one even tossed an undergarment onto the stage.
His performance of his latest hit, “Ride” was an automatic show stopper, and the blood curdling screams from the audience was enough to make me go deaf in both ears.
What put SoMo ahead of the others was his ability to connect with the audience. During one if his songs, he pulled a girl up on stage where he serenaded her. This created an air of jealousy and desire that I am sure was all part of the plan.
“He just looked at me!” said a girl next to me. The tension SoMo created was almost overbearing. Every time he removed another button from his shirt, a wave of lust would pour over the room, and I thought girls might begin to start spilling over the barricade.
The performance wrapped up with an encore and my friend Sara unfortunately getting a drink spilled on her. I would definitely attend another one of his performances because SoMo was able to deliver a memorable experience.