Line-up

Headliner
Jon B Last time in Birmingham: 1 year ago

Venue

O2 Institute 2 Birmingham

78 Digbeth High St, Digbeth, B5 6DY, Birmingham, UK

www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham/on-o2

Capacity: 600

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Additional details

Doors open: 19:00

Concert in your area for R&B, Funk & Soul, Hip-Hop, and Pop.

Find out more about Hip-Hop and Pop.

Jon B biography

Jon B, otherwise known as Jonathan David Buck, is a Grammy nominated American R&B singer and songwriter originally from Pasadena, California.

Jonathon used to be a songwriter and wrote songs prior to his rise to fame for a variety of artists including After 7, Toni Braxton, Michael Jackson, Color Me Badd and others. Jon B's popularity began in the 90s, he released his debut studio album in 1995 entitled 'Bonafide' which included a huge hit in the shape of 'Someone To Love'. The single featured Grammy award winning artist Babyface and earned Jon B a nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

The first album is now certified platinum selling in the United States for sales passing one million. He released his second studio album 'Cool Relax' in 1997 and it included a top 10 single 'They Don't Know' and two other top 20 hits, one featuring the iconic rapper Tupac Shakur. 'Cool Relax' remains the artist's most commercially and critically successful album, it is certified double platinum selling in the United States.

His third album 'Pleasures U Like' came in at #6 on the US Billboards, and it was his first release through Edmonds Record Group. He collaborates with a selection of producers on the LP including past producers Babyface, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson who each work on a track. His chart successes began to decline after the third album although he still remains a largely respected in the R & B music scene.

Live reviews

I’m a lover of the English language and am a firm believer of using correct words most of the time when I’m engaged in conversation. What I’m trying to say is, I’m not a huge fan of slang. I don’t keep up with the most recent vernacular (especially in hip hop) and am usually the one in the group asking what skeet, skeet means. Yes, I’m often that clueless person in the group. If there is a slang word I happen to like, I tend to use it way more than I probably should. My favorite of the moment is HAM, as in “hot ass mess” (or, if you are a fan of Kanye West and Jay Z, it also means hard as a muth*****). HAM is the best way for me to describe the Jon B. show I witnessed Aug. 26, 2012. I won’t even discuss the venue (The Roxy Theatre in Denver, CO). I should have known this was going to be HAM when I received a raffle ticket as my entry to the concert. Complete HAM on that, especially since I save all my concert stubs and they had the nerve to charge a service fee! My second indication this would not be an ordinary show? The opening act. Dre Lane threw out T-shirts throughout the course of his set, but I wonder if it was to distract from his lack of originality and talent. I won’t knock him for trying, but you have to have more unique content than a song about haters, or doing a song originally sung by Tyrese and then asking the audience if they were feeling it. I would if Tyrese was up there. When Jon B. finally emerged, there was a keyboard on stage, so I’m thinking, okay, he’ll play the keys and sing. He played the keys alright, just at the wrong time. I didn’t mind that he sang along to the instrumental tracks because he sounded damn good, but what I didn’t understand was why he was responsible for starting and stopping each track. Isn’t this what you pay a DJ for? Jon B. would jump on the keys at the end of some songs, problem was, his playing didn't match up well with the still running track. It became sort of a distraction, as did the random people who walked on stage during his performance. HAM all the way around! I must disclose that my sister is more of a Jon B. fan than I am; therefore she knew the songs he sang, whereas there were three I recognized – Don’t Talk, They Don’t Know and Are You Still Down?. I really was there to keep her company.

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