There are 7,000 people here and I have no idea what’s happening.
I'm at the PNE for their Summer Concert Series, getting ready for some nostalgic action with the I Love the 90’s Tour. I don’t want to disappoint, but going into the concert, I was not yet convinced that I could get with the whole “The 90’s were the best years of our lives” vibes.
The first few performances blend together. Freedom Williams sort of looks like an uncle. There’s a lot of call and response; everyone is dancing like there’s no tomorrow. Williams acapella scats the end to “Gonna Make You Sweat,” thanks the audience and leaves.
Young MC is dressed in a shirt that makes him look like a race car, but in a cool way. He shows a clip from a movie he directed, plays one of his “newer” songs — 2016’s “Nocturnal Radio Mix” featuring Will Wheaton (not the one from Star Trek) — then explains a scene from the film Baby Driver before going hard on his track “Know How.” I am thoroughly impressed, and feel bad for originally underestimating Mr. Young. The crowd is extremely prepared for “Bust a Move,” and all the ladies in the crowd sing along to the “You want it, baby you got it" part. Young MC thanks God and leaves.
The next act is All-4-One, who kind of kill the evening’s high by playing “O Fortuna” before they come on stage. They sing a medley of 90’s jams and perform their hit “I Swear” in sign language.
All of this is good, but I’m still not totally feeling it; maybe it’s the intensity of the “Who wants to relive the 90’s” sentiment, or the fact that I’m seated in a no-alcohol zone and everyone around me is incredibly sober.
However, all of these feelings melt away when headliners Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella appear. I don’t want to sound like I’m hyperbolizing, but I have never felt prouder to be a woman than in the 20 minutes they were performing. They enter the stage to an old award show clip followed by some handsome, shirtless men.
“We are sorry for getting you in trouble when you were little for talking about sex,” they pronounce before boldly rapping about sex.
The steamy performance featured the men doing backflips, Salt and/or Pepa grinding on the men and then dumping water on them. The concert ends with the two thanking the crowd and Pepa telling the audience, “Don’t let nobody tell you how to live, what to do with your body, or who to love.”
It all goes to show you that time ticks on, but talent and fanbases last forever.