Anderson .Paak & Tayla Parx – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA – February 24, 2019 (A PopEntertai

Updated: Mar 4, 2020

Anderson .Paak & Tayla Parx – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA – February 24, 2019

I walked through the crowded venue, seeing smiles among the people basking in the Andy’s Beach Club world tour logo. The rainbow beach ball with wings set a tone of summer fun in the dead of the bitter winter. The iridescent purple-blue chandeliers hinted with specks of orange illuminate the dimly-lit venue adding to the mellow vibe of the 80s soul and R&B music playing in the distance.

Fans buzz with excitement as the stage crew set-up inflatable cactus. Not long after, the music hall is filled with screams and cheers as Tayla Parx takes the stage. Rocking a blue bob cut, she performs with such confidence and grace. Her unique sound showcases her lyrical and vocal talent. No one could help but dance as her music played – even the inflatable cacti swayed to the upbeat rhythm.

Parx repeatedly told the crowd she wanted to get familiar with them and really put herself forward to connect to the audience through her self-written music. She is very open and honest through her music, singing songs like “I Want You” and “Jeffrey.” She also plays some new, unreleased music, like a song called “We Need to Talk,” which she has only performed one other time before. Parx sings and mentions songs she wrote for other artists, such as “Love Lies” by Normani and Khalid; and “Thank U, Next,” and “7 rings” by Ariana Grande. She ends with a powerful performance of “Mama Ain’t Raise No B*tch” and greets fans after leaving the stage.

The cacti deflate and fans excitedly wait for the main act. The background playlist stops, and fans’ cheers and screams of excitement rise. A screen drops in the middle of the stage, reflecting the shadow of a band. The figure of a drummer and guitarist are quickly joined by a figure of a man. The music and lights go crazy, as the screen dramatically falls to the floor, revealing no other than the main act himself, Anderson. Paak.

The energy in the venue is truly like no other. He starts his set with “Who RU?” Lights are blinking, smoke machines are going off, and flames are rippling to the beat. .Paak, bursting with energy, sports a navy-blue Adidas Short Suit. His stage presence is unbeatable. He gives 110% to connecting with the crowd, while simultaneously connecting with his music.

His performance was so fun to watch, I almost wanted to join him on stage. The recently Grammy-winning artist had a celebration with the crowd. His energy and fun personality carried throughout the show, performing songs like “Bubblin” and “Glowed Up.” For “Milk N’ Honey,” he rushed up to the drums. He absolutely killed a drum solo and somehow managed to sing along at the same time. All in all, Anderson .Paak is the epitome of a good performer.

Ari Lafayette