A Night in the Music City: MonoNeon Quilted Stereo Tour
I traveled to Nashville, TN on July 30th as my initial plans to see Lianne La Havas in D.C. fell through. Why must ticket re-sellers be so greedy? I watched $85 tickets be flipped to nearly $400 overnight. I suppose, the demand to see her in the US was substantial- I get it. As an avid concertgoer, this didnât change the fact that I still needed (good) music and entertainment.
Once Lianne was ruled out, I checked to see what other artists were touring: Missy Elliot, Chaka Khan, Jhene Aiko to name a few. The algorithm on Instagram would show MonoNeonâs Quilted Stereo Tour announcement. With little hesitation, I checked out dates and locations and settled on Nashville. This was a bit spontaneous as I have not been to Nashville as a legal drinking adult. I booked a flight out of Dallas, packed my neon green, and was on my way!
MonoNeon, Grammy award winning, super-bassist. He is one of the last to play alongside Prince, and posses an unusual skill of playing the bass with his left hand, upside down on the right-handed instrument. This makes for a unique sound that is only expected from him. His musical style is not only erratic, but genius.
The Memphis native is consistently providing listeners with new  music. He has released another album titled, âQuilted Stereoâ which features the âinnovator of funk,â GEORGE CLINTON. The album also includes a feature from the beautiful and legendary soul singer, MAVIS STAPLES. Â
A nice, sunny day turned dark and rainy as soon as the concert was scheduled to start at 8p, at the Exit/In located at 2208 Elliston Pl, Nashville, TN 37203. From the moment I walked into the venue, the atmosphere was electric, filled with concert attendees wearing specks of neon clothing, anticipation and sounds of a past time. I must admit, I was eager to see who his audience consisted of. At the end of the day, we were all in alignment to groove!
Abruptly hitting the stage around 9p, a nameless band and Mononeon take their places. He is wearing a multi-neon-colored, quilted face mask and ski goggles. The building goes up with roaring yells and claps as the band opened with âHot Cheetos.â And the transitions were consistent.
Although none of my favorite songs were performed, the energy and creativity MonoNeon brought to the stage were undeniable. His ability to create a vibrant atmosphere kept the audience engaged, but we were all wanting moreâ
With a consistent flow of songs, the vibe felt more like a jam session than a traditional concert. I needed a Red Bull to power through the remainder of the set. The highlight of the night was undoubtedly when MonoNeon performed, âWomen, Water, & Weed.â This performance was more of a crescendo, while exposing more of his vocal abilitiesâwhich I love. The energy of the room was palpable, and the crowd was completely captivated by his unique sound and stage presence. His talent on the bass guitar is simply unmatchedâ
Overall, it was a night of musical exploration and unexpected delights. If MonoNeon is ever in your city, be sure to check him out!