WILLIAM RICHARDSON AND LYRIC WATSON SHOW AT TEAVOLVE---OCT. 16TH

Written by WISDOM



When I heard that William Richardson and Lyric Watson were performing on the same bill at Teavolve, I was very excited about the notion of seeing and hearing them.  October 16th was the date, and 1401 E. Aliceanna Street was the location, so I marked my calendar in anticipation!  I'm very familiar with the music from these artists, so I knew that QUALITY was the word to describe both William Richardson and Lyric Watson.

I didn't arrive at Teavolve until after 9PM, so I didn't get the opportunity to see Lyric Watson, the progressive band helmed by Bryan Crawford-Winslow, who goes by the nomenclature Compose.  Other members of Lyric Watson included Waymon Scott IV on guitar and Steven Winslow on drums.  I was very disappointed, because I missed the opportunity to witness the group's live performance.  The setlist for Lyric Watson included songs written by Compose:  "Get It Together", "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" featuring Wayman Scott IV on guitar, "Let It Grow", "Some Kind Of Woman", and "Champion".  From my understanding, the showcase for Lyric Watson was a nice mixture of instrumentation, poetry, and vocalization.  When the next opportunity arises, I will definitely be in the house to witness Lyric Watson staying true to its roots of creativity.

What I did personally witness once I arrived at Teavolve was William Richardson and his band blessing the packed house with their presence.  The band, comprised of Q on guitar, Steve on bass, Daniel on drums, and others, sounded very soulful throughout their set.  The music could be described as spiritual and eclectic, as I witnessed the crowded venue vibing to the soulful sounds.  Listening to William's interpretation of beautiful songs such as "Umi Says" put the Teavolve audience in a very positive mindset, from what I could surmise.  Nothing but positivity permeated throughout the venue.  Even though there was standing room only when I arrived, I was very comfortable in observing the performance from my vantage point.  Teavolve is a nice venue that allows performer and audience to interact in a more intimate setting.  William interacted with his bandmates and audience with ease, sometimes communicating just with subtle eye movements.  It was very evident that he felt very comfortable in this up close and personal setting.  Some of the songs on the setlist included "Who Do You Trust In?", "Lord What Shall I Do?", "Who's Guarding", and "Zion", one of my favorites from the Righteous Soul days.  Righteous Soul was a precursor to the current line-up for both Lyric Watson and William Richardson and his band, so the event at Teavolve was definitely a family affair.  Another song that showcases the eclectic nature displayed was "Afro-Cuban", bringing varied musical influences to the fold.  William is not only an accomplished musician, but songwriter as well, and it showed throughout the evening.  The spotlight was shared amongst the entire band, as William allowed each musician to showcase his unique talents.  This was quite evident, for example, when William prompted guitarist Q to stand front and center to reveal his skills.  The set ended on a high note with "Get Up, Stand Up", the Bob Marley staple that encompassed the overall message for the evening.

Once the actual performances ended, I had an opportunity to mix and mingle with members of both musical outfits.  It's a welcome sight to be able to interact with dynamic performers who are down to earth, as both William Richardson and Lyric Watson fit this description.  I discussed future projects, and I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for these spiritually-grounded artists.  Be on the lookout for both William Richardson and his band as well as Lyric Watson!  As that evening's showcase revealed, there is burgeoning talent on the rise here in the Baltimore area.  All in all, a very dope show!