Little Richard

I'd never seen Little Richard in concert, and being a living legend, I was very excited with anticipation of entire show. An immediate notation here; I did not know that Little Richard had hip surgery in the past few months, and was still in recuperation. So with that into consideration.....here goes. Little Richard was class act. He played several of his classics, along with other older songs. He has several personal friend in the audience, so upon finding this about halfway through the show, it turned into a brief autograph session. He picked the show back up with his popular songs, and then had to end the show....you could tell he really wasn't in condition to perform, but he did it anyway. Thats a class act in itself. I got some great pictures and video. They can be seen on my facebook page of Jeff Smith "Little Richard @ BB King Club.

Exceeded my expectations by a mile! I've wanted to see Little Richard for decades and finally had the opportunity thanks to the Birchmere's booking. Seeing him in an intimate environment like that was a bonus. Incredible energy for a 70+ year old guy that recently suffered a heart attack and was preparing for hip surgery.

He should retire. Spent more time talking nonsense with random members of the audience than he did playing. He's too old, too feeble, and a waste of an evening let alone the money.

Little Richard is the original spectacular performer. I'm 55 and have never seen him perform live. The setting in the Birchmere is tailor-made for a Little Richard performance. He rocks, he rolls, he includes the audience, his blues will make you cry and stomp your feet -- his gospel will make you jump out of your seat and shout "Amen" to the Lord above. Although a lot of us hipsters can only move so fast to dance, several patrons swayed in their seats to the music and furiously clapped at his performance. Too bad we all couldn't get up and dance in the aisles. He is the consummate professional entertainer and left nothing out of his bag of tricks that we are used to seeing him present on television and other venues. The ever present "Shut up" was there as was his "I'm so beautiful" routines. And beautiful he is. The audience consisted mainly of 50+ hipsters, but we were made to feel 18 again because his music brought a thrill to our soul, a tap to our feet and a welcome warmth to our hearts. You couldn't possibly sit down or not clap to the music once his fingers touched the piano keys. It's good to experience a real entertainer with a full band rock the house like no other. I enjoyed being in the presence of a living legend, understanding all the words to the songs, interacting with him (on my own personal level), being in the audience and experiencing a show like no other. I wish the younger generation could see how a great performer can enthrall the audience merely with his presence. He's still beautiful. He's still Little Richard at 70+, even with a bad hip. Nobody can ever replace him. He's wonderful and I would certainly like to see him perform at the Birchmere again and again. Exquisite show.

I was surprised that he was still able to hit the high notes.

At nearly 76 years of age, Little Richard is wobbly. He was rolled onto the Birchmere Stage in Alexandria, VA in a wheelchair, anticipating hip replacement surgery. At first, I thought it was a gimmick, and that he was going to explode from the device, stand, and begin pounding the piano. But instead, he was carefully lifted and transferred to the piano bench, where he still managed a rollicking opening set. Then he explained his infirmity, which we both share, and I accepted it, still a bit disappointed that a member of rock 'n' roll's progenitor class should be so human as to suffer pain. His voice was hoarse, but it didn't matter. What Richard Penniman lacked in vocal range he more than made up for in sass alternating with endearments. A humorous "shuddup" was this southern boy's frequent admonition to the crowd and his band, which both clearly loved him. At this point in his career, the music matters less than his presence. Elvis had the bad manners to die at 42. Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis are still around and offer a good time if you are willing to accept some decrepitude. For those in my early boomer generation, black and white, the journey to The Birchmere to see Little Richard was a pilgrimage well worth the effort.

He can still play a mean piano, and of course he's still BEAUTIFUL!!!

Eventhough Little Richard is in his seventies, his rock and roll still has enthusiaism. His songs and his style have forever changed the music we listen to today. His performance was lively and the music sounded great.

Little Richard put on a great show even though he was in a wheelchair. It seems he has not lost a beat.

Little Richard still has it in him. Great voice, fabulous piano playing and super wonderful band. It was good to hear his famous music live. He should take his own advice to "shut up" more and play more songs. But it was still a great perfomance by a legend of rock and roll.

Little Richard remains a fabulous performer at the age of 77! He relates to the audience and sings all of his hits. His piano playing is fantastic, and he never missed a note. Due to some recent health issues, Little Richard is brought onto the stage in a wheelchair and assisted to his piano stool which was surprising to many in the audience that evening. He is in need of hip replacement surgery. His grace, humor, and music made for a fabulous evening. BB King's is highly recommended. Good food, great venue for seeing your choice of performers, and the Irish coffee cannot be beat!

Little Richard was Little Richard. On the whole, I am glad I went (along w/ my son, who's only heard of Little Richard as a lengend). Paul Schaffer showed up, and that was an extra treat. Little Richard's performance wasn't the best, but considering his health - he said that he just had had a hip replacement - the 73-year old legend did his thing. My only complaint was against the sound quality; it was horrible. The sound engineer was totally incompetent - don't know whether he belongs to the Grille or to Little Richard - and didn't know how to control the sound. There were times when the horn section would be mute, just as the sax was rolling into its key solo scores. A big part of Little Richard's music, as we all know, is the sax. I felt like throwing my beer bottle at the punk who was manning the sound machine.

Little Richard was over an hour late coming on to the stage of BB Kings'. I took my parents there as a gift and it was not professional. When he did get on stage he hardly sang. He asked the audience if they we having a good time about 50 times. He started songs but never finished them. I understand he was in pain and waiting for a hip replacement, however if that was the problem then the show should have been cancelled. I did not time the show but it was not worth the money i paid for 4 people. I go to BB Kings often throughout the year for shows and wanted to surprose my parents for this, but not again.

As fabulous as ever. My high school friend and I danced for nearly the full 90 minutes; albeit in place towards the end when a Birchmere staffer decided we were blocking the aisle. We also danced on the stage. Other women made a line along the front of the stage and jiggled, Jean and I danced as we had in 1959. The horn section moved out of the way and gave us a nod. This was our second time dancing on stage with Little Richard, having done it previously to equal enthusiasm from the audience in 1996.

Little Richard put on a great show. He also was kind enough to sign posters for all that wanted such.

When you see Richard, you see a living legend! He can still sing & play!

Really quite a show. I didn't know much about his performances beyond some pretty spectacular two-and-a-half minute singles released between about 1955 and 1958 (though I had seen him in "The Girl Can't Help It" a hundred years ago), and I guess I expected the show to be mostly his tunes. Nope. It was about half music and half banter, much of the banter close to incomprehensible but oh, so cute. He can still do falsetto, though not nearly as much as on his records -- the high WOOOOOOs went on for just a second or two instead of ten, they had little or no vibrato, some of the WOOOOOOs weren't falsetto at all, and there weren't as many of them of either variety -- but it wasn't bad at all for a 76-year-old. I lost any ability to do falsetto in any kind of controlled way 15 years ago, and I used to be pretty good at it. As much makeup as Michael Jackson. Hair that just might not have been all his own, either. Eleven-piece backup band! Two guitars; bass; four horns (three saxes, one tiny, tiny trumpet), with choreographed dance moves; two drummers, with choreographed drumstick moves; two keyboards. Very tight, very swingy, very impressive. Came onstage by wheelchair. Two guys assisted him from wheelchair to piano bench and back (picked him up and put him back down, is what I mean by "assisted"). He either just had or is just about to have a hip replacement -- as I said, not everything he said was all that clear. One of his talking bits was about a hurtin' leg; when folks in the crowd hollered out "Long Tall Sally!" or "Good Golly, Miss Molly," neither of which he had done at that point, he'd tell them to shut up: "We're talkin' about a hurtin' leg, now," in a plaintive voice. On thing he did say clearly was that he hurt the least when he was onstage playing and singing, which I'm sure is entirely true. Overall, just a great, great act.

Little Richard and his band are awesome!!!!! My sister and our girlfriends had a great time dancing and just listening to his music. I have always wanted to see him in concert and he did not disappoint. He is a true showman and gave all of us a night of great "old school" music and fun. I was amazed that he could perform the way he did because he was in a wheelchair and was not feeling too great but you would never know it -- once his band started and he started playing the piano and singing everyone was out of their seats and many did not sit down under he hit the last note!!!!!! He even came out after his concert to sign autographs!!!!! What a class act!!!!!!

The man never quits. You can't get him down even if he has to be wheeled on stage. He never changes and his music endures. He lives to perform and we love to see him. The band is great and takes good care of "the man." Keep it up King Richard. Your subjects adore you!

Having seen Little Richard at the Brooklyn Fox in his heyday and at BB King's about a year ago, this performance was less than great. The audience was told that no photos were to be taken but he encouraged it once he took the stage. The band is superb, as always, but Little Richard, who can no longer walk or put his leg on the piano and belt it out, is a shadow of his former self. In the 1 1/2 hour set, he sang 9-10 songs for a total of about 25 minutes and the rest of the set was talking (almost inaudible from the booth where I sat) with "oh, shut up!" peppering his conversation. He sang a variety of songs by others but when he got down to "Tutti Frutti", "The Girl Can't Help It" and "Miss Ann" he was competent but the arrangements compensate for his diminishing vocal abilities. Worth seeing for the memories, I just wish they had been better.

Rather a late start and Richard came on in a wheelchair. But once at the piano he was as good as ever and has a fantastic rapport with his audience. An icon who still has the magic.

I simply can never say enough good things about little richard and the band. I always look forward to seeing them when they are in Minnesota. He is a real showman.

Would love to see them again. One of the best shows Iv'e seen in awhile.

My goodness--I wasn't prepared for Chubby Checker to be such a strong performer at his age. He didn't even stop between most of his songs and danced through most of his show. I was surprised at Little Richard's strong voice and his great performance, also. I'm sure that if he wasn't doing poorly after hip surgery that he would have been dancing around also!!! All of their band members were great performers, too.

Chubby Checker put on a good show & pulled the audience in to his performance and made everyone part of the show. Little Richard was sub par. He may have been in a lot of pain or to many painkillers. He made a lot of mistakes and stopped songs in the middle and babbled on about nothing more than he sang. He is an extremely good piano player but Sunday night his band had to cover for him way to much. He did try very hard but cood not cut it.

First and formost I was truly bummed about the cancellation of Chuck Berry. However, I was amazed over the great physical shape that Chubby Checker is in. He can still twist across the stage! I was shocked to see Little Richard come on stage in a wheel chair. I had to wonder if it was need or want. Why would a guy like him need to go through that at his age? At the same time, I am grateful for the opportunity to have seen these legends. I appreciated both of them sharing a bit about their roots and early beginnings. Imagining what they have went through in their life times as black musicians is over whelming.

Both performers were identical in that (1) they are incredible professionals and (2) both looked amazingly young (or "pretty" for Little Richard) (3) each invited guests from the audience to come onstage, and (4) each did a country song. Unfortunately Little Richard was having a hip problem and had to be wheelchaired up to the piano bench, but that did not stop him from hammering those keys, singing his way through an incredible list of songs, and talking continuously with the audience. And his son is one incredible bass player. Chubby Checker came out and did one song after another in rapid fire succession (but not enough "twist" songs for me) which was an incredible show of strength. This was a fun and enjoyable concert (haven't had this much fun since the Winter brother (Johnny and Edgar) played together in the late 70s). I drove roundtrip 5 hours for a three hour concert and it was worth every minute.

I had bought tickets a month or so ago to see Chuck Berry and Little Richard (mostly to see Chuck Berry) but a week before the event it was announced that Chuck Berry would be unable to appear and they booked Chubby Checker in his place. Not really caring to see Chubby Checker, I had thought about seeing if we could get a refund but just never got around to doing that so we thought we had better go anyway, and I'm glad we did! The now 68 years old Chubby Checker put on an excellent show, singing practically non-stop from the time he came onstage until he ended his portion of the show drenched in sweat one hour later. It took at least 30 minutes to change the stage over for Little Richard, but it was well worth the wait though seeing him was a real reminder of how old we're getting. As his band started playing we could see the sparkle of his suit behind the amps and speakers on the left side of the stage, and as they announced "And now, here he is, the architect of Rock and Roll, LITTLE RICHARD!" two stage hands brought him out in a wheel chair, rolled him over to his piano, placed a pillow on the piano bench, and lifted him out of his wheel chair and sat him on the pillow. There was a huge screen on either side of the stage and without these it would have been difficult to tell, but we could see he was grimacing as they turned him to face his piano, but as soon as the spotlight hit him he turned his head to face the audience with a smile that lit up the stage, and my goodness... how he could play that piano and sing! Still a showman through and through. During the course of the show he mentioned he was having his 77th. birthday this year and was going to keep performing as long as the Lord let him and the people wanted to see him. After the show ended we went into the casino for a hour or so, figuring we'd let the traffic die down before we left and then walked back out the way we came in to find that both Little Richard and Chubby Checker were on opposite ends of the hallway signing autographs, little Richard being assisted by his son and daughter. He was taking the time to talk with everyone who wanted his autograph and although he had been signing for a half hour or more, the line was still quite long. We didn't stay for an autograph, but stood near his table for a few minutes listening to him talk with his fans.

The concert was so fun and exciting! The place was filled and Chubby Checker opened the show! He still sounds great and had the energy of a teenager on the stage. Little Richard still has quite the set of pipes on him for being 77! Doing shows obviously keeps them young!

Little Richard and Chubby Checker put on a wonderful show. Great music lots of energy and laughter. I brought my mother and Aunt and both trully enjoyed themselves as did I.

We were very disappointed to find out that Chuck Berry wasn't going to perform-but Chubby Checker was amazing!!!We are so glad we didn't get a refund & went to the show!!! It was one of the best shows we have ever been to!!!Little Richard was excellent also-he still has that amazing voice!!! & of course is so very entertaining!!!

It would have been great to have Chuck Berry there but Chubby Checker did an amazing job. I really did not expect that kind of performance. Little Richard was great. It was so good to get to see him and they both had voices that sounded crystal clear.

Still loved listening to Little Richard! Amazing voice!

OMG, what a night of greatness! Never did I think I would be so lucky to see such a legend as Little Richard in 2012!

This was the best show so far. Little Richard Rocked the show and his band was amazing. One of the drummers would end his set by jumping so high off his seat that he was in the air higher than the drums. I hope that he comes back to The Howard and I get another chance to see him before he retires.

Fabulous! Will definitely go back to venue again and again.

Voice and playing are still good. His mind. Not so much, but I give him a pass. His throne/wheelchair is awesome.

Little Richard was fantastic. He is 79 years young now but it was truly amazing to hear him play piano and sing live in person. So glad I got to see him in my lifetime. This show was at the BB Kings blues club in NYC and was totally packed. Les Paul's son was in the audience as well as various record execs etc....very diverse crowd young and older. Matt "Guitar" Murphy was great as an opener. Little Richards band had an awesome intro for Richard. Its as if they were rolling out the red carpet for him. It was really nice because you could tell that all of them had grew up listening to him. The love and admiration for them to him and vice versa was very nice. Richard came out went into "Blueberry Hill" with that pristine voice of his still as great as ever. He played for an hour doing roughly 13 songs and talked to the crown and did banter and comedy in between songs totaling 90 minutes. He was very loving with the audience, so happy to see them and grateful for their support. It was so amazing to see such a national treasure still doing it. We love you Richard.

the show was amazing, he still have voice, and was alway's a good performer, he still has it, bb king was nice but not enough space for a show for little richard, he could fill madison square garden any day. we order food and didn't have enough room on the table to place it. ten people in a small space, wasn't very nice. but would like to see him in a bigger theater, and he has a younger fellower thats wild about him. going strong at his age.

You almost can't exaggerate the impact and influence of Little Richard, one of the originators of the music that rules the airwaves today. It's amazing that he's not only still living, but still performing--and still great, barely diminished musically by age and infirmity. His backing band are also all fantastic musicians, with a great sound and fun to watch. The only downside--but it was a big one--was Richard's tendency to take enormous pauses between songs, talking about nothing in particular and--most unfortunately--allowing people in the front rows of the audience to interact with him, get autographs, and promote their own music. When he was singing, it was amazing; as soon as a song finished, the energy just drained away. I also blame B.B. King's, otherwise an excellent venue, for not encouraging better audience behavior. Still, I'm thrilled to have been able to see this rock & roll master.

03/07/07-- Florida Strawberry Festival: I was sad to see LR come out in a wheelchair and crutches, but his show didn't fail to amaze me. What a great repertoire of songs! He had the best horn section I had ever seen, and it was great to see his son play guitar. The afternoon outdoor show had perfect weather and drew a huge crowd (I didn't see any empty seats). After the show, I walked around the festival until sundown, and later heard Kenny Rogers playing from outside the fence; you could tell the audience was small compared to Little Richard's! This was the second time I saw LR (the 1st was 10/22/97- Jacksonville, Fla Theater). To be honest, I miised his high-energy performance of 10 years prior, but to hear his voice and the other great musicians on these legendary songs is an opportunity not to be missed. I only hope I can hear him sing "Goodnight Irene" one more time!

Old - check In a wheelchair - check One of the BEST performers I have ever seen - CHECK!

He was brought out in a wheelchair and my husband and I thought it was a joke and he was going to get up and start dancing any minute, but after a few songs he told the audience that this is his last stop with this tour and he will be having hip surgery. Nevertheless, his show was great.

It was a great show, but I only wish he and his entourage would have been more generous to people who wanted autographs (besides the posters they were selling) and would have allowed us to take pictures. The Potowatomie staff is friendly.

Was shocked to see him in a wheelchair, but he explained he was having hip surgery. sounded great and his band was exceptional. his voice can still carry the high notes .... had a great time

I know he has gotten older over the years but he didn't play the piano a whole lot and when he did the band was playing, they were so loud you could hardly hear him play/sing. The concert was only 75 minutes long and it seemed he talked more than he played. Would NEVER reccommend this concert to anyone, a waste of time & money1

Little Richard had a fantastic show last night at the Birchmere. He played for about an hour and a half with his eleven piece band. Despite being seventy-six years old and having to be wheeled up onto the stage in a wheelchair and lifted onto his piano bench, due to upcoming hip surgery, Little Richard played and sang with the energy and wit that have always been halmarks of his shows. If you ever get the chance to see him - GO!

After seeing Little Richard perform, I was in amazement. I know why he is a legend. His ability to still click with the crowd was wonderful. His band was awsome!!!!!!! I am so glad I went to the show.

Over the years, I've attended many Little Richard shows. The Capitol Center, The Star Dust, Wolf Trap. All were great!

Great show by a great man. This show was better than his previous show at the Birchmere. Bring him back!

The show was great. The audience was reved up and ready to rock. Little Richard and his band (10 members) really rocked. He was obviously in pain but played to an adoring crowd.

Took my 14 yr old son and his friend to see Little Richard last night at the Birchmere. Both boys are really into rock and roll and enjoy classic rock. Told them they needed to see this living legend and pioneer of rock. They didn't quite know what to expect but had a blast watching and listening to Richard blow it out of the park. Richard is such a great entertainer and pulls the audience in immediately. You can see how much he loves being on stage and performing. His band was awesome, his voice is fine (esp. for a 76 year old), and his fingers on the keyboard still fly. Given his current level of energy, you can see why he blew everyone off the stage in his heyday. Even today, I wouldn't want to follow his act! I'm sure my son and his friend will tell their grandchildren about seeing the one and only Little Richard. We only wish the show would have lasted longer. Long live rock and roll and Richard!!

As again for the second time in a few months, Little Richard has come out and gave a stunning preformance. The band is most likely the best in this country. Well done Little Richard and May " God Bless You and your band"

Little Richard is still going strong! His vocal range is as amazing today as it was in the 50's. You can tell he loves to perform. He connects with the audience almost immediately. Nobody tears up a room like Little Richard!

My son and I had the best time watching, listening to, and laughing with a true legend of Rock-n-Roll! I hope that I can be as engaging and engertic (even with the need of a hip replacement) as Little Richard is... The band wasa tight and on-time! If the show had just been the band, it still would have gotten 4 stars - with Little Richard, five stars are not enough!

I have been listening to Little Richard for at least 35 years. His music is enlightening, very much alive and he seems to tell a story in each song. Real music has gone by the wayside, so I keep up with the old school music. The show was great and I am looking forward to the next one. Bringing a couple of old school friends the next time. Can you believe, after all those years, that was the first time I have seen Little Richard live. I wish for Little Richard health, guidance, faith and many more years of success.

Saw him at the Birchmere in Alexandria in early June 2009. Poor guy had to be wheeled in due to back and hip problems but once at the piano he instantly changed into a superstar. Still decent voice and a superb showman. Good band with him.

There's nothing quite like your first and glimpse of the first generation of rock music, and Little Richard made for a lively first glimpse. His June 8 show at the Birchmere was a delight. The venue was charming and authentic, and Little Richard's ever-boogeying set of 50s rock was a great fit. He brought a large band, complete with two drummers and a horn section. They filled the room, and Little Richard seemed to hover in front of them at his piano, an animated icon holding court. Despite his age, he was energized and in great form, his dynamic piano work dazzling even over the sound of the band. His voice stole the show, whether he was making smart remarks in that flamboyant persona of his or hollering out a classic. When he hit the first few notes of Tutti Frutti, I got goosebumps.

I listened to Little Richard on the radio back in the 50s. He was a pioneer of rock and roll and I still have a half dozen of his 45s. It was a treat to finally see a live performance and to hear that his voice was as strong as ever even though time has weaken his body. His twelve member band was terrific and were worth the price of admission even if Little Richard had not taken the stage But with the voice and direction of Little Richard coupled with the talent of the band, the evening exceeded my high expectations. The stage was small, almost too small for a band this size--and this was a band that needed to move with the rhythm to make music--but somehow the group managed to be a joy to hear and a joy to watch. Little Ricard interacted well with the audince and played several songs by request.

Little Richard still rocks, bum leg (hip) and all! He has the hottest band and horn section anywhere. Even Paul Shaefer was in the house! There must be a reason these guys stayed with him this long. The energy is addicting and you can easily see how all the rock bands that matter got their influence from Richard. God bless you Little Richard. Get that leg fixed and come on out and rock us some more!

Little Richard is a true entertainer. To see him perform in so much pain, knowing that he did not want to let down his fans. Others would have canceled. Loved the entire performance.

It was an amazing performance by one of the founding icons of modern music. To see Little Richard at the Birchmere was an unbelievable experience and to witness an historical event. Great musicians in his big band: two drummers, tow keyboard players, guitar, horn section. Little Richard not only is a great musician but also a tremendous entertainer, funny and a wealth of music history. Too add that he played in pain, hip problem, and that he nevertheless at the end was so gracious and generous to meet with the fans and distribute a free book, is just another example of his caring for his music, faith and fans. If you have the chance, go see Little Richard on tour, I will for sure