The Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Virginia, was blessed with the talents of America’s Got Talent finalist Preacher Lawson on Friday, October 2nd. The comedian appeared on season 12 of America’s Got Talent in 2017 and made it through successive elimination rounds, reaching the finals, where he was one of the final 10. I did not get a chance to root for Lawson while he was on AGT, but as a fan of live comedy, I am always open to checking out a new comedian.
The show opened as a family affair as Preacher’s mother, Mama Lawson, served as the master of ceremonies. Mama Lawson set consisted of tidbits about raising Preacher and other jokes that most parents can relate to. One of her best bits involved flipping the lyrics of the DMX classic, “Party Up,” that had the audience in stitches.
Brian Glowacki was up next, and similar to Preacher Lawson, I was not aware of his comedy background. Glowacki was on fire the moment he came out, providing insights about his new marriage and being a stepdad. One of his best jokes involved COVID and his neighbors, which had the perfect setup before delivering his punch line.
Preacher Lawson graced the stage around 8:00 p.m. for a 90-minute set. Lawson provided insightful commentary about growing up with three siblings, living a single life, and even the alternative lifestyle. Lawson has two key strengths that made his show a success for me. The first was that Lawson does not use explicit language to get a laugh. Even without using F-bombs, Lawson had rapid energy that comes across as natural. I liken it to Lawson being on a family show, and he wants his comedy to be universal.
Secondly, Lawson will do anything for a laugh, whether it is kindly shutting down a drunk heckler or using props. Lawson never had any dry moments throughout his set, and I generally cracked up for most of the show. The best joke of the night, though, for Preacher, had to be when he compared dogs to crackheads. My wife and I both had tears in our eyes as pet owners.
Lawson ended the night with a Q&A with the audience, and you can tell that he was generally appreciative of all the support. The next time he is in town, I highly encourage you to check out his live show.
Final Grade: B+
Songstress Ashanti was experiencing significant success with two platinum albums at the time of the release of her inaugural holiday project, “Ashanti’s Christmas,” on November 18, 2003. Her label head, Irv Gotti, produced most of the album. This project comprises four original songs co-written by Ashanti, in addition to six cover versions of traditional Christmas standards and carols.
Vocal quartet A Few Good Man contributed two songs to the project: a cover of “Silver Bells” and the ballad “Merry Christmas My Dear,” both of which were produced by Daryl Simmons. Demail Burks, David Morris, Aaron Hilliard, and Tony Amey were the members of the group, and after introducing themselves in the festive video for “Silver Bells,” it was only fitting that they delivered a ballad on the album.
R&B legend Luther Vandross had already solidified his place in R&B when he released his first holiday album, “This Is Christmas. Arriving in stores on October 24, 1995, “This Is Christmas” validates Vandross’s ability to sing anything.