The 3 Mo’ Divas performance Thursday night in Lee Hall Auditorium, was far from disappointing as the show was the first of the two-day concert jump starting the beginning and return of the Lyceum Series.
The Lyceum Series is an old tradition of FAMU that has been revived under President Ammons. The series brought greats such as Marian Anderson, Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois to campus. 3 Mo’ Divas was just the first installment of this years series.
It was a show for lovers of all genres of music. But for such a stellar performance from well-respected artists, there was a mediocre turn out at Lee Hall.
As the concert began, spectators were immediately intrigued by the three classically trained soprano “divas,” Jamet “Smooth and Sexy” Pittman, “Super” Nova Payton and Laurice “Take no Prisoners” Lanier’s high-octave and tone.
The three songbirds opened the show with the beauty of opera music; while this was not my favorite section of the showcase they did show their range, and their fluency in Italian and French.
However, it was not just their voice that had the audience wanting to hear more. It was their “class, sass, and style,” a phrase coined by the ladies themselves, each singer gave with each serenade.
There was no need to cringe from fear of a wrong note; the pitch was perfect. While singing, the classically trained ladies showcased fierceness, attitude and smoothness in not only their voice, but their presentation.
As Pittman sang, “Your Daddy’s Son,” and Lanier’s, “God Bless this Child,” the ladies were sure to make the experience interactive with crowd participation. You found yourself wrapped within the song about a son’s connection with his father.
The divas transitioned from opera classics, to Broadway standards and even dabbled in some blues tunes with songs like, “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Defying Gravity.”
They were not your typical Beyonce diva of today, but could be compared to trailblazing divas such as Aretha Franklin or Diana Ross.
During intermission, Andrea Whittle, 18, a freshman theatre student from Miami, said she was “thrilled and moved by the power of such amazing voices.”
As the second half of the concert began, the focus of the concert was on R&B, soul and disco tunes. Hits like, “I’m Every Woman” and “Proud Mary” had the audience humming and dancing along.
If you did not attend Thursday night, this show is a must see, so be sure to attend Friday, Sept. 11, for the performance. The Office of Student Activities is giving out 450 free tickets for the event. Check your FAMU e-mail or call 850-599-3400 for more information.