WHAT? Band at Le Pearl
Le Pearl, 7929 Central Ave, Capitol Heights, MD 20743


When I walked up to the front, Michelle Blackwell was getting out of her car. I walked in with her.

Lepearl had tables set up on the floor, which is different from the last time I saw a show here.

A girl named Tasha, celebrating her birthday, sat down at my table. I got up for the dance floor shortly before they started performing.

WHAT? Band - started at 12:18
The line up was: Chris "Rah" Black (lead talker), Michelle Blackwell (vocalist), Killa Cal (rapper), Dave (keyboard), Will (keyboard), Rico (bass), Drew (guitar), Smokin' Joe (drummer), Rocket Rob (lead percussion), Duce7 (percussion)
Michelle did a shout out to me.
First set

Front: Rico, Michelle, Killa Cal, Drew, Back: (don't know the keyboard players by sight), Smokin' Joe, Duce7, Rocket Rob


Michelle, Duce7, Killa Cal, Rocket Rob, Drew
1) Instrumental jam - it cranked
2) Michelle-led Erykah Badu's Back in the Day (Puff) - it had a light crank / Percussion solo
3) Michelle-led Keyshia Cole's Let It Go - it cranked
4) Killa Cal-led "Just waking up in the morning" - it cranked / ? - Killa Cal did a shout out to me
5) Michelle & Killa Cal-led "I just want to be a star" - it cranked
6) Alternating Michelle & Killa Cal-led "that's what ya, like you" - it cranked / Percussion solo
7) Michelle-led Alicia Keys' No One - it cranked, Rocket Rob played congas & toms / Percussion solo (congas)
8) Percussion solo - it cranked / Michelle & Killa Cal-led "Thanks for coming out and welcome to my party y'all, it's started, come to party"
9) Michelle-led "We in the club like" (tease)
10) Alternating Killa Cal-led Dem Franchise Boyz' I Think They Like Me (tease) / Michelle-led Lil Kim's Lighters Up
11) Alternating Michelle-led "Happy Birthday to ya" / Percussion solo (toms) - it cranked

Second set


1) Cassidy's My Drink N' My 2 Step (instrumental) - it cranked / Killa Cal-led Cassidy's My Drink N' My 2 Step - Rah chanted, "Maybe I did, Maybe I didn't, So what if I did, Mind ya business", a girl danced with me
2) Michelle-led ? / Percussion solo
3) Michelle-led "It's poppin', let's pop" - it cranked / "What you know about me?" / Percussion solo - the crowd shouted, "Ay ay ay"
4) Rah & Killa Cal-led "I love the way you move" - it cranked / Percussion solo - Rah chanted, "Eya eya", Rah chanted, "Dip" and Michelle chanted, "How low can you go?", Rah chanted, "Hop on the wagon" and the crowd chanted, "Ay ay ay"
5) Rah-led "This is the way I live" / Killa Cal-led "Make it rain" - Rah chanted, "Maybe I did, Maybe I didn't..."
6) Rah rapped "Jonin' on houses & car, you're jonin' on t-shirts & shoes" - Rah went on to talk about tomorrow's show (WHAT? Band, Rare Essence, Mambo Sauce, and Cassidy). He issued a challenge that Killa Cal was a much better rapper than Cassidy.


Third set
1) Michelle-led "try so hard, be in my heart, shouldn't have let you go" - it cranked / Percussion solo
2) Killa Cal-led "This b*tch got in your head" - it cranked / Michelle-led "I need action, what's it going to be?" / Michelle-led Johnny Nash's I Can See Clearly Now
3) Instrumental - it cranked, Rah chanted, "Maybe I did, Maybe I didn't..." / Killa Cal-led "What I did all night" / Percussion solo
Twan was there.
4) Alternating Michelle-led "I need a real man, What you going to do? I need action, I hear you talking" - Rocket Rob played toms, it cranked / Rah-led "I got to put you on the line"
5) Alternating Killa Cal-led "I am an animal" - it cranked / Percussion solo (congas) - the house lights came on / Percussion solo (toms)
6) Michelle-led Beyonce's Irreplaceable - it cranked, Rocket Rob played toms
7) Percussion solo (congas) - Rah chanted, "Maybe I did, Maybe I didn't..."
8) Killa Cal-led Hurricane Chris' Ay Bay Bay / Lil Boosie & Webbie's Wipe Me Down
At some point during the set, Rah unzipped his pants and they fell to his ankles. Michelle asked me to take the following picture:

All pictures (except flyers) taken by and Copyright - Jordan Rich

I enjoyed the performance; it is a different atmosphere than Classics, but with the same incredible call & response.