All Star Opera on stage at Neumos for night two of the 2019 Seattle Wrold Tour. // Photo by Phe Shay Locke

This week, All Star Opera set out on its second annual Seattle World Tour, a five night, five show stint at historic venues across the city that aims to raise awareness for Mary’s Place, a local nonprofit organization that helps support families in need. On top of ASO’s donation of show earnings each night, from both ticket and merch sales, each show also hosts a clothing drive to be donated to Mary’s Place’s “No Child Sleeps Outside” initiative.

As people gathered into a mass on the floor of Neumos for the tour’s second show, we began to see the night take shape. Opening the night, DJ Marvelous mashed up songs in a sui generis style. Maneuvering every musical element into multiple genres, he satisfied everyone’s musical taste buds. Eating his every move, we began to see the night unfold some of the most sweet delicacies.

The first group to take the stage was Sendai Era. Performing songs like “Stop the Killings,” this group stood to make a difference by telling us stories about their Asian American culture and spreading awareness. They delivered a compassionate and conceptual message. Through poignant lyricism and melodic vocals, they captivated the audience. This group showed how the fusion of conscious rap and sweet vocals can make for a duet that creates its own instruments of peace and truth.

The truth continued as All Star Opera graced the stage. Heaping sound into an energy of fun, the band played with layers of instruments, utilizing the trumpet as a subtle dancer when it joined with the keyboard in a tap dance. It made for a light, jazzy feel. Complimenting these, the rapid poetics of the emcees, Sam Osborn and Carter Gyasi Gilbert-Bass, manifested a flowing vibe in and of  itself. As the audience sang along to the tunes of this band, it became clear why they are called All Star Opera.

The night continued in its sweetness as MistaDC submerged into the mic. He started with a song off the December 2018 album, Sorry We Lost You. We heard his steady vocals melt into his live band. When he performed a crowd favorite, “Vegas Girl,” we couldn’t resist the urge to dance. The music took our feet, and, from there, we fell, enamored. Not only did the music of MistaDC heighten our love of sound, but the chemistry between him and his band was the icing on a freshly baked chocolate cake.

The night ended with TeZATalks. She gave us sonic rhythm, sedative vocals, and high vibrations; we got a full show out of this one artist. Not only did she perform her songs at capacity, but she also had dancers to help paint the picture with cohesive moves and costumes. The set dropped us into her music and escalated our bodies to match her energy. Everything about this performance screamed power and dominance.

With nights like these, hopefully, a Mary’s Place child will never go hungry, too, just as each of these delicious delicacies of music kept me full and craving more.

By Phe Shay Locke