Last night at Roseland Ballroom in Times Square, VH1 held its inaugural “You Oughta Know” showcase featuring The Lumineers, Ed Sheeran, Lorde, Emeli Sande, HAIM, JOHNNYSWIM, and Matt Nathanson. The night’s performances were live streamed exclusively on VH1.com and will air again on VH1 on Thursday, November 21st.
Started in 2005, VH1’s “You Oughta Know” highlights emerging musicians but yesterday’s event marked the first time the channel held a live show. And with seven acts to get through in just two hours, VH1 did a brilliant job.
First up was Emeli Sande, performing with her usual mesmerizing vocals. It seems like Sande has been everywhere in the past year performing for as many outlets as she can, hoping to recreate the success she has overseas, here in the states. For some reason the impact many had hoped for her has yet to happen, but her label is sticking by her. The business knows she’s talented, the audiences knows she’s talented, but we still need that unadulterated pop radio smash to secure her place in the US. Sande closed her set with “Next To Me,” which was an obvious crowd-pleaser.
Up next was Matt Nathanson, who surprised us when we heard he was on the bill as his name hasn't been around for a few years. Despite that, it was a great example of YOK’s ability to not only support new acts on the scene, but those that they believe should be shown more of the spotlight.
Interestingly, Lorde preceded HAIM, which was questionable because of Lorde’s current place in the upper echelon of the industry right now - and I say that as a huge HAIM fan. Either way, it was clear this was the one the audience was most excited for. The minute she appeared a sea of cell phones were raised, ready to capture the current “it girl” in the flesh. She performed four songs, including her No. 1 smash “Royals” and follow-up single “Team.”
The HAIM sisters followed and showed why they've become the indie-rock darlings of 2013. These girls are the definition of cool. They sound like Sheena Easton and Pat Benatar, have that “I just threw this on” rock look, and carry themselves in a confident, slick demeanor, all while acting like you’re old high school best friends. The girls performed four tracks from their debut album, including “The Wire.” For their closing song, they covered Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough,” even bringing out Lorde to sing along mid-song.
Truthfully, I had never heard of JOHNNYSWIM, but the married duo came through with a sweet sound of rocking originals and an even sweeter cover of Britney’s “Till The World Ends.”
Closing the night, since Ed Sheeran’s appearance for the show was pre-taped, were The Lumineers, one of 2012’s biggest success stories. While there was minimal interaction with the audience, the band delivered with their Americana pop numbers.
While most of the acts on the bill have been on the radar of many music lovers for some time, it was great to see them all brought under one roof and being pushed by a major cable network, especially when the discovery program serves as a barometer for brightest up-and-coming musicians in the game right now.
Watch a sneak peek of Lorde's "Team" performance from VH1's You Oughta Know In Concert and tune-in November 21 to see the full show on VH1 and VH1.com.
The post Sneak Peek of VH1 You Oughta Know Concert: The Lumineers, Ed Sheeran, Lorde, Emeli Sande, HAIM, JOHNNYSWIM, and Matt Nathanson #YOKConcert appeared first on Next2Shine.com.
