Ok, this is a weird way to start a concert review but go with me on this trip.
Some years back, a friend took me to a gathering of women in various stages of business leadership and ownership. The gathering gave us all a place to share our struggles, fears, and at some point, all of us cried together because being women “out front” is tough, and we so often feel like we don’t fit in that space. That was at Maggie Harlow’s house.
Not that long ago, I saw her at a women-in-business event and one of my friends pulled her into a photo with us. It was the first time that I associated her with Jack — and only because someone mentioned them both in the same sentence. I didn’t know THIS Maggie was his mom. I remembered having a pivotal moment in my professional life sitting in her house chopping it up with other women trying to make it in work and life.
Damn it, I cried in Jack Harlow’s mom’s living room.
Tonight, I saw Maggie again, sitting with Kentucky’s Gov. Andy Beshear. All her positive energy was flowing directly onto the stage where Jack wrapped the local crowd in a damned classy night of his music.
That all of those intersections with the Harlow family had happened in my own life, looking around the room, it was actually quite moving to see how absolutely loved Jack is. He’s from good people.
Walking into Whitney Hall, The Louisville Orchestra was in place and waited only for conductor Teddy Abrams and Harlow to start the show.
Louisville Orchestra Chief Executive Graham Parker took the stage to share with the audience the benefits of Harlow making his hometown shows a yearly event and how this year’s shows would benefit the free work that the orchestra does in the local community.
Abrams started the show and Harlow appeared on the stage wearing a finely tailored black suit. I admit that I don’t go to many hip hop shows but it was interesting to see this performance with an orchestra and a chorus of eight back up singers.
For artists that typically perform to tracks and loops, using full orchestration and real voices was a magnificent way to showcase Harlow’s tunes which explore themes of relationships, getting famous as a young person, his hometown, and the insecurities of being a young artist at his level.
For all the things that critics have said about Jack Harlow’s music, it’s clear that the kid is talented, and as life happens, and he grows as an artist, he’s got real potential to expand on the genre he’s in. He’s got an opportunity to lift the craft that has lifted him. His lyrics are young, as he is young, but wait until he grows. That’s an exciting thing to watch in a performer.
Oh, and Harlow can actually sing.
Several times during the show Harlow showcased his singing talents. Once by serenading Gov. Beshear for his birthday with Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon,” and again, serenading his father with Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”
As he sang, shouts from the crowd encouraged him with I love you-s and to “go on Jack.”
Harlow did go on through a set of his hits, some older cuts from his days as an even younger artist. He had the crowd rapt, singing, and dancing along. Even though he admitted this show was out of his comfort zone, he held it together and did what a professional came to do. He entertained a hometown crowd, which is often hard to do in Louisville. For his work, he got standing ovations and quite loud cheers.
Maggie’s boy done good. Even my old ass in the crowd couldn’t help smiling, and being damned proud that “this kid” is from Louisville.
This article appears in Nov 20 – Dec 3, 2024.