A Review: AEG & Tom Joyner Present: Magic City Music Fest

The AEG & Tom Joyner Present: Magic City Music Fest took place on Friday Oct 25, 2019 at the BJCC. The show featuring artists 69 Boyz, Tela, 8Ball & MJG, Adina Howard, Montell Jordan, and Calvin Richardson was quite the party leading to the Magic City Classic Game.

Tom Joyner was set to be present, but he was rumored to have canceled because of the rainy weather, illness, and traffic. Though Birmingham LOVES Mr. Joyner dearly and is very appreciative all the Magic City Classic events he has hosted in our city over the years, he was not sorely missed. The party went on strong without him.

First on the stage was Adina Howard. The Freak Like Me singer pleased the audience with her sexy performance. Howard sang from her rather risqué catalog then ended her set by treating a male audience member to a lap dance during a performance of Nasty Grind.

Next up, were the 69 Boyz who really brought on the party! Since most of their hit songs involve dancing, they encouraged Alabama to get on their feet and start their Magic City Classic Weekend off right. They preformed their hits like C’Mon n’Ride It, Tootsee Roll, and their latest song which includes a sample for the popular 90’s hit, Swing My Way by K.P & Enyi. The 69 Boyz entered the stage wearing flashy outfits representing Alabama State University and Alabama A&M, the two HBCUs facing off against each other in the Magic City Classic football game. They brought out The Camp Kids for a dance challenge and ended their performance in LED light-up gear. The 69 Boyz’s performance was simply flawless with never a dull moment.

After their performance, rapper Tela came to the stage with his very muscular chest exposed as he preformed a short, but exciting set.

8Ball & MJG, the Hip Hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee, came on after Tela to wow the audience. Birmingham loves 8Ball & MJG, as they perform here quite often, but with the duo every performance feels like the first time. They were energetic and engaging as they preformed their beloved hits: Mr. Big, Space Age Pimpin’, Lay it Down, and Just Like Candy. They even brought back to the stage Tela, who is also herald from Memphis, for a performance of Sho Nuff.

Next to the stage was Montell Jordan. The This Is How We Do It star was a little subdued for his performance. He expressed that most of his hits were recorded during a wilder period of his life, but now he is a born again Christian who is a minister with his own church. He preformed This is How We Do It along with several other songs from his catalog including his new single When I’m Around You. Jordan admitted to being very excited because he has a new album coming out for the first time in ten years on November 29, 2019. Jordan also admitted that he feels he was lead to come all the way to Birmingham, AL and back from the 90’s to reveal to some audience member that Jesus loves them and misses them. It was quite a nice message to hear in the mist of a party that might have been a little too wild.

Keeping up with the R&B vibes was Soul singer Calvin Richardson. Richardson, who has a new album out entitled Gold Dust, came to the stage wearing aspect of gold in celebration of his album’s release date (which was coincidentally released the same date as the concert). Richardson admitted that he was only there for the ladies and Boy was he right! He crooned and grinded to song after song. Richardson even left the stage to enter the audience to sing to specific ladies directly. There was much infatuation in the eyes of the female fans as he stripped down to his bare chest revealing a frame so muscular even Soul Singer D’Angelo in his prime could not compete. The musical favorites of his set included Hearsay, Can’t Let Go, and Keep on Pushin’.

Last to the stage was the famed fan favorite Doug E. Fresh. The rapper was quite late to the party and had to cut his performance short because the venue has strict curfew rules. I must admit that I missed much of his performance, because I was backstage and security shut the elevators down for his entrance. Also, I was chatting with Calvin Richardson in the lobby shortly after the elevator incident. When I arrived back into the concert hall Doug E. Fresh was on his last song, beat boxing his lungs off to an audience who was going absolutely nuts over his performance.

AEG & Tom Joyner Present: Magic City Music Fest had something for absolutely everyone. It was more of a party than a concert with everyone on their feet for most of the night. I had a really good time and I can not wait to see what the lineup will be next year.

Thanks to the Birmingham Urban League, Inc for this party with a purpose. Because of this concert, the Urban League will use many of the proceeds to provide for area youth and many other charitable needs around the city of Birmingham

Visit https://birminghamul.org/ to learn more about Birmingham’s Urban League and help support he cause all year long.