An evening with Jill Scott

“Living my life like it’s golden!”

Why say 7 p.m. on the ticket if the show doesn’t start until after 8:30?

It’s like the music industry goes out of its way to disrespect the customer.

As I sat in the majestic Chicago Theatre for the first time Monday night, waiting for my first live experience by one of my favorite artists, I remembered why I don’t do concerts. The feelings came rushing back.

The older I get, the less patience I have for unnecessary hassles. Few things get me agitated faster than traffic and crowds, long lines and loud places. Concerts might as well be a one-stop shop for inconvenience. After their rising prices, they really test my patience by making me wait. More than an hour after the so-called show time, there still was no sign of the headliner. And she didn’t offer an opening act. All the sold-out crowd got as a warm-up was a DJ spinning ear-splitting throwbacks.

I almost left.

But when Jill Scott was escorted on stage, when I laid eyes on her in person for the first time, I got butterflies. Suddenly the rest didn’t matter.

She took the stage at 8:36 p.m., standing front and center of a 10-piece ensemble. By 8:46, long before she jubilantly shouted to the audience five times “this is live music,” my body was crawling with goosebumps. Eighteen minutes later, tears started streaming down my face. 

And 13 minutes after that, during her rendition of “It’s Love,” my ears started hurting.

I’m not as young as I used to be, but this was one of those experiences I didn’t want to miss. Whether saving or budgeting, paying back a loan or picking up change at a bus stop, whatever needed to be done to afford tickets was what I was going to do. It’s Jill Scott.

The 51-year-old poet, songwriter, singer and actor came through Chicago for two nights as part of her Who is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 Anniversary Tour. I attended the first night with my lady friend Triest. This was the special summer treat I told you I secured back in February.

Jilly from Philly, as many affectionately call her, ranks alongside Bruno Mars as my favorite musician. Her voice is angelic. Her range is amazing. I couldn’t help but to be in awe of her vocal ability. I couldn’t believe how she sounded just like she does on her albums, even all these years later. When her vocal chords made my eyes well, I knew there was no point in fighting back the tears. All I could do was enjoy the moment.

Scott released her debut album, “Who is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1,” 23 years ago this month. It is filled with classics such as “Gettin’ in the Way,” “A Long Walk,” “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)” and “The Way.” She did them all during her set, performing the album from start to finish as she promised she would at the top.

But the three-time Grammy winner concluded with her smash hit, “Golden,” off her second album, upon returning for her curtain call.

Like her neo-soul contemporary Erykah Badu, Jill Scott’s music has been prominent in my life since high school. I hold Scott in higher esteem because of what she’s always made me feel. Throughout her career she’s spoken words of love while imploring her listeners to be good to ourselves and others. Her softness radiates. Her spirit is sublime.

In addition to her heart and her supreme talents, Scott also is unashamedly Black and unapologetically outspoken, unafraid to drive conversation about issues impacting our communities. She sprinkled in poignant and socially conscious messages on everything from the language we use to address each other to often overlooked virtuous Black men.

She sang her powerful but controversial rendition of the national anthem, which she wrote at only 19. She even joked about inflation, playfully saying she paid $9.98 for orange juice.

I paid $212.04 for the two tickets on Feb. 24, which I thought was extremely reasonable. We sat in the middle balcony and had a great view from the third row.

To help make the event more memorable, I opened my wallet. I treated Triest to oysters and old fashioneds along with dinner at Prime & Provisions, a swanky steakhouse with a great happy hour and spectacular service. I paid another $129.35 for that experience, and I’m completely fine with it because it was planned and rare. But I couldn’t help but notice the establishment has gone up on the price of its happy hour drinks. 

I also paid $27.95 for an Uber ride home. Triest offered to pay for the Uber rides to the restaurant and from there to the Chicago Theatre. I appreciated her for chipping in.

My tally for the night was $369.34. I consider it money well spent.

More than two decades later, Jilly from Philly is still well worth the price of admission.