http://youtube.com/watch?v=kU9Q2S97Zuc


What should you expect when you head into a Morris Mills concert? That's the question I asked myself on a chilly night in Mid April as I made my way to the Double Door, the venue for the latest Morris Mills Production. The MC of the concert (Neo Abyss I believe) likens Mr. Mills to Lenny Kravitz and Prince. Now while living up to those names would be a daunting task for any musician Mr. Mills manages to put on a show full of bravado, wit and just plain excitement. One this is clear from just minuets into the concert, "This ain't no sit down party"(Mills) From the opening song "Yeah You"(still echoes in mind weeks later) it is clear the Mills and the band have you in their talons and wont be releasing you until their 90 or so minuets are up. And that definitely is a good thing. From "Yeah You" to his even edgier ballots like "Your Love" and his rendition of "Purple Rain" a couple of things are clear. One being that Mills wants the crowd to really enjoy the show—and believe me we did. Not only does he want you to enjoy it, he wants you to feel if. It was nearly impossible to find a pair of feet that weren't moving to the music. To simply call it a fun experience would be a great understatement. From stage diving guitarist; Phillip Seed, to Mills sprawling on the floor during one of his hotter numbers, it's fairly evident that not only are Mills and the band feeding off of each other and the crowd, but the crowd is equally feeling the festivities. This is what real music is supposed to be.

Liken him to whomever you like... Prince, Kravitz,...Rock, Rap, Soul. Whomever, and Whatever. I can freely say that Mills and the band really know how to throw a party. Anyone can write a song about a girl who has done them wrong, or a new love in their life, but few can find the creative balance that's needed to carry it on a record, then translate it to a live venue, all the while giving everyone who comes across it an experience worth the price of admission, and then some. So how do I know that Mr. Mills's music is that damn good? As I do with everything I listen to, I subjected it to what I've dubbed the Marley Barometer. For as Bob Marley once said, "One good thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain". You not only enjoy the moment, you live it. And this music makes you do that. For a moment you forget about your mortgage, car note, and your student loans. For a moment we were all back-up singes/guitarist in the Morris Mills experience. And again, that is easily worth the price of admission, and then much more. And I'll leave you with this (just because I'm in a quoting mood). Aldous Huxley once said "After silence, that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible, is music. Here's to a long career for Mills, and the hope that he keeps expressing that, which can't be expressed.




Fola Orokunle[b]