Entertainment Studies | Performing with the Power of the Lord
Flyer for the Charlotte, NC, leg of the Tasha Unscripted Nights Tour starring Tasha Cobbs and Friends.
By Kia O. Moore
Keynotes:
Start out with your big hit to get the crowd engaged right from the beginning.
Group performances bring a special dynamic, energy, and stage presence to a show.
Give them something to chant about to keep the crowd in the flow of the music.
How you use your lighting can create the energy you need.
Finding the right partner can come from divine intervention.
My mother is a big Tasha Cobbs fan. When my sister and I heard she was coming to Charlotte, NC, we knew we had to get tickets for a family outing. As a gift to my mother, my sister and I covered her ticket.
I was looking forward to going. I liked Tasha Cobbs’ music and thought it would be nice to see a Gospel concert live and in living color. I listen to Gospel and get a dose of the live version during praise and worship at church, whether online or in person. However, I had never been to a Gospel concert.
I have 5 key takeaways from attending the Tasha Unscripted Nights Tour that I would like to share.
Start with a Hit
Tasha did not waste any time getting to the song she is known for: “Break Every Chain.” The crowd erupted into applause and stood to their feet once those familiar piano chords started, and Tasha uttered the words, “There is power in the name of Jesus.” This is the second example I have ran into that shows the importance of the setlist to a show .
If you give the people what they want early, they get invested in the show. They get excited for what comes next.
Group Dynamics
When we saw the marquee for the show, it had Tasha Cobb listed and additional Gospel artists. We thought the additional Gospel artists were going to be Tasha’s openers. We were so wrong. These artists were on the stage, sharing the spotlight with Tasha. With so many personalities on stage, they each brought something special that added to the performance.
With Hip Hop Orchestrated vocalists and emcees, having them share songs and perform as a group may result in a more interesting and dynamic performance.
Give Them Something to Chant About
The entire night, the crowd was involved in performing part of the show. Tasha & Friends had songs with repetitive phrases that the crowd could easily catch on to. The artists encouraged the crowd to sing along.
With every chanting phrase, the crowd was pulled in more and more.
Hip Hop Orchestrated will encourage people to sing along and try to write hooks that are chantable.
Lighting Creates Energy
For the show, there was no elaborate lighting design, but the church that hosted the show worked with what they had. During high-energy parts of the song, they would flip the lights off and on. For the slower songs and prayers, they turned down the lighting, which calmed the audience. With the slow songs and prayers, you want people to really listen to what is being said.
For Hip Hop Orchestrated, we want some lighting design for the big tentpole events. A lighting designer like the one in this video works.
Finding the Right Partner May Require Divine Intervention
The T.D. Jakes Foundation is a partner with the Tasha Unscripted Nights Tour. The way this relationship between the Foundation and Tasha came about was a miracle, as Tasha shared. She told the story of how she talked about her vision for the tour with a friend. That friend connected her with the T.D. Jakes Foundation. Within a week’s time, she was on a Zoom call with the Foundation. They told her not to share this vision with anyone else because they wanted to collaborate with her. From Tasha’s viewpoint, God made a way.
Hip Hop Orchestrated is in search of partners. As the founder, I am praying that the right people and companies come on board to help make this large vision a reality.
In Closing…
When I went to the concert, I was not looking for any takeaways. It was just supposed to be a family outing, but it turned into an Entertainment Studies lesson that I needed.
