On Sunday, November 9th, I attended the up and coming R&B artist Khamari’s “To Dry a Tear” Tour. The show was packed to the brim at the Paradise Rock Club, a frequented venue for artists in Boston. I’ve been to a handful of concerts in my life, but this was by far the most personal one.
I found Khamari not too long ago when I was scrolling on my TikTok’s “For You Page”. His hit song “Doctor, My Eyes” struck all the right chords in my heart, and I immediately felt the urge to listen to more of wherever this came from. Khamari’s voice is beautiful, and his poetic lyrics create a symphony-like sound. After weeding through his entire discography, I found that my playlists had been overtaken by him. When Khamari announced his “To Dry A Tear” Tour, I knew I had to be there. The tickets were priced lower than I was expecting, adding to the excitement of getting the opportunity to hear his music live.
After the opener, Gabriel Jacoby, performed, it was only a few minutes before Khamari took the stage. He opened with “He Said, She Said”, and I was awestruck for the entirety of its duration. Khamari’s live voice outdid itself, sounding better than it ever could coming through my Iphone’s speakers.
I got to hear all of my favorite songs of his performed mere meters away from where I was standing. The stage was set only a few feet off of the ground, making the experience all the more genuine. It felt like he was singing to each individual in the crowd, not just to an audience at large. His vocal riffs were impeccable, and he received lots of “oohs” and “aahs” from listeners.
I left the concert feeling emotional, as I’m sure Khamari did himself. He is originally from Dorchester, Massachusetts, just around the corner from Boston. I can only begin to imagine how it must’ve felt for him to perform in his hometown. Everything from the venue, to the set list, to the calm and collected crowd, made this one of the best concert experiences I’ve ever had. I felt fulfilled and overjoyed that I had been given the opportunity to hear one of my new favorite artists, up close and personal.