RSVP, Ray J, Sammie, Bobby Valentino, and Pleasure P

It probably tells you a lot about the current status of Ray J’s career that he’s best-known, to many, for appearing in a decidedly dubious videotape with Kim Kardashian that’s now widely available on the internet, but either way, it’d be a shame to overlook what he contributed to mainstream hip hop and R&B in the early part of his career as a result. In 1997, he saw his debut record, Everything You Want, flop in the U.S., but he fared much better on the follow-up, the aptly-titled This Ain’t a Game; perhaps similar sentiments had brought about a change in attitude for the rapper, who turned in a superb, hour-long opus that included production from The Neptunes and featured Pharrell Williams on two tracks.
Since those days, though - which saw him have two chart hits with ‘Wait a Minute’ and his duet with his sister, Brandy, a cover of Phil Collins’ ‘Another Day in Paradise’ - he’s struggled to reach the same level of commercial appeal. He still toured the U.S. throughout 2011 and 2012, though, appearing on bills with the likes of Soulja Boy and DMX and running through quick-fire, career-spanning sets with the aid of a DJ and a hype man. UK dates look a way off, though, unless he can turn his career around; he might need more than some internet controversy to pull that off, though.

Sammie was not at the show!
I received no notification that he would not be in attendance. I would have at least expected an email or some kind of pre warning rather than attending and not even knowing until the show had ended that Sammie was not attending.

Not to be confused with the American R&B singer who ultimately changed his name because of legal action, Bobby Valentino - or Robert James Beckingham, as he was born - is that rarest of things; a genuinely respected country artist from outside of the United States. Hailing from England, instead, Valentino spent most of his early career playing with Hank Wangford, appearing regularly on his television show in front of audiences of millions, before moving onto collaborations with artists better known in the pop world; his main instrument is the violin, and his work on it can be heard on recordings be the likes of The Alabama 3, Bob Geldof and Shania Twain. He’s also done a little bit of acting and modelling work, too, occasionally playing Clark Gable in advertisements. His three albums to date have done enough to earn him a modest following in his own right, too, and they’ll likely be clamouring for news of his fourth full-length, which has a working title of Six Feet Three Inches. There might also be new, too, of a rare return to the road for Valentino in his own right; he’s played as part of other bands in the past, but his own gigs have been few and far between.

Marcus Ramone Cooper…you may know him as a member of the hip-hop/R&B group Pretty Ricky, but you may also know him better as Pleasure P. Having embarked on his solo career back in 2007, he has continued to use his experiences to put on the best damn show he could possibly give his fans.
During his live sets, he performs mainly from his solo album, but every so often will possibly include a Pretty Ricky song. Because he has been around for so long, and has established a solid fan base, the crowds that flock his stage have been long time fans, or converted by long time fans. This results in almost every person knowing all the words to atleast one of his songs. In addition to the songs off his album, he will also occasionally include new songs, which are usually warmly welcomed by his fans. Watching him perform, you can clearly see that he is constantly striving to be better, to continue his expression of art in the best way he knows how. During the transitions between his songs, he’ll take some time to say things to the audience, things like what the next song is, or a humble thank you.