Recap: TLC, Shaggy and More Kick Officially Kick Off Concert Season at SPAC

June 18, 2023

2–3 minutes

Photos: Tammie Birdwell

In spite of the fact that it was chilly and raining outside, no one in the capital district was going to allow that to deter them from attending the first show of the season at SPAC — and why would they? After all, with acts like TLC, En Vogue, Sean Kingston, and Shaggy playing Friday night, June 16th, most people would put up with almost anything to attend. The house was as packed as the lineup.

Sean Kingston

Sean Kingston played first to warm everyone up and get ready for the headliners. I truly can’t imagine a better lineup for SPAC’s opening night. All four acts clearly appeal to people from all walks of life, and the crowd reflected that. Friday night’s show was one of the most incredible productions I have personally ever seen — certainly it was the largest show I have covered in my career so far.

En Vogue

Technically, En Vogue and TLC are sharing the headliner spots. So, depending on which location you live in, you may see these acts in a different order. Last night, En Vogue took the stage second. The first noticeable thing was the fact that these amazingly talented ladies didn’t look as though they aged a day since we started listening to them rabidly as kids. They looked and sounded exactly the same as they did when they recorded those cassette tapes we all wore down to nubs. It was an absolute thrill to see those ladies on stage together.

TLC

Despite the fact that, sadly, TLC is missing one of its core members, it was impossible to tell when they took the stage. Again, those lovely and talented ladies took command of that stage and filled up the entire thing with their amazing voices and their monumental talent.

Shaggy

Shaggy closed out the evening, but his set was certainly not a “cool down.” As a matter of fact, it was quite the opposite. With several people joining him on stage, Shaggy had the entire crowd in the palm of his hand — he even shoved the mic down his pants. So, yes, Shaggy’s set, much like the others, did not disappoint.

All told it was one of the most incredible nights of my life. If this tour is coming to a town near you, I highly recommend that you grab your tickets right away. It was an absolutely delightful walk down memory lane and so very much more. These acts are all superstars for a very good reason and they will absolutely rock your world.