Piano & I: An Intimate Evening with Alicia Keys and Her Piano

Piano & I: An Intimate Evening with Alicia Keys and Her Piano, commonly referred to as Piano & I, was a promotional concert tour by American recording artist, Alicia Keys. The tour promoted the singer's tenth anniversary of her debut album, Songs in A Minor. Keys re-released the album in late June 2011, adding unreleased tracks, live performances, remixes and a documentary. The tour was only five concerts visiting Paris, London, New York City and Los Angeles.

Piano & I
Promotional tour by Alicia Keys
Promotional poster for the tour
Associated albumSongs in A Minor: 10th Anniversary Edition
Start dateJune 11, 2011 (2011-06-11)
End dateJune 30, 2011 (2011-06-30)
Legs2
No. of shows2 in Europe
3 in North America
5 Total
Alicia Keys concert chronology

Background

Keys announced the tour in April 2011 on her official website.[1] In the blog post, the singer stated a deluxe and collector's edition of the "Songs in A Minor" re-release would be highlighted by two intimate concerts in London and New York City. Later in the month, Keys added Paris and Los Angeles to the agenda. The singer expresses her goal for the concerts was to provide the audience with the journey of her recording career. Each concert will be set in an intimate atmosphere, with only Keys and a piano on stage. The trek not only featured Keys original works but also covers of artists that have inspired her. Keys says the reason behind the show's setup was to reflect the early stages of her career, when she would perform for record executives with only a microphone and a keyboard. To introduce the promotional tour, Keys stated:

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of '[S]ongs in A [M]inor, than by holding a special, intimate concert for my fans. It’s my absolute favorite way to perform. There is something so special about just me on my piano connecting with the audience. It brings me back to the very beginning when I could only perform with a keyboard and to now be able to take it back to the essence of who I am with this show, it is so exciting".[2]

Critical reception

During the outing, Keys received high acclaim from music critics. Caragh Logan (Rewind Magazine) commented the singer's show at the historic Royal Albert Hall, London. She writes, "Seeing Alicia perform just about her entire body of work makes you realise what a consistent artist she is. Song after song, you are reminded why you own the entire Alicia Key[s'] album collection. Closing the show with 'Empire State of Mind', 'Sure Looks Good to Me' and 'No One', the audience were on their feet, lighters (and “cell phones”) in hand, belting out the songs with all our might—just like we did at home ten years back, when Songs In A Minor became one of our all time favorites".[3]

The praise continued as the singer moved her tour to the United States. Ben Wener (The Orange County Register) notes despite the intimate setting at the Pantages Theatre, Keys was still able to deliver a powerhouse performance. He continues, "To her credit, Keys has been deftly striking a balance between meaningful artistry and commercialism all along. Most everyone else in the game went the other way around: they started as mere entertainment, then dug deep so as not to be forgotten. Alicia was soul-deep to begin with, a virtuosic talent struggling to be heard, who then had to learn how to be an entertainer".[4] For the show at the Beacon Theatre, Jim Farber (New York Daily News) comments that the R&B singer shines best in the "less is more" setting. He explains, "Here, with the piano once again her anchor, Keys was back in her element. The setup also provided the best way to showcase the sturdy bones of her melodies, as well as the purity of her vocals".[5]

Opening Acts

Setlist
  1. "Raindrop Prelude"
  2. "Blackbird"
  3. "Stay with Me" / "A Dream" / "Real Love" / "Never Felt This Way"
  4. "Butterflyz"
  5. "Trouble Man"
  6. "Troubles"
  7. "How Come You Don't Call Me"
  8. "Goodbye"
  9. "A Woman's Worth"
  10. "Girlfriend"
  11. "Why Do I Feel So Sad"
  12. "Caged Bird"
  13. "Moonlight Sonata"
  14. "Fallin'"
  15. "You Don't Know My Name"
  16. "Diary"
  17. "Karma"
  18. "Unbreakable"
  19. "Like You'll Never See Me Again"
  20. "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart"
  21. "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)"
  22. "If I Ain't Got You"
  23. "New York State of Mind"
  24. "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down"
Encore
  1. "Sure Looks Good to Me"
  2. "No One"


Source:[6][4]

Tour dates
Date City Country Venue
Europe[7][8]
June 11, 2011 Paris France Grand Amphithéâtre
June 13, 2011 London England Royal Albert Hall
North America[9][10]
June 24, 2011 Los Angeles United States Pantages Theatre
June 28, 2011 New York City Joe's Pub
June 30, 2011 Beacon Theatre

Box office score data
Venue City Tickets Sold / Available Gross Revenue
Beacon Theatre New York City 2,654 / 2,654 (100%) $228,162[11]

Broadcasts and recordings

The promotional tour was filmed at the Beacon Theatre on June 30, 2011. The show was streamed live on AOL Music's Sessions +1. Keys was the first artist to be broadcast on this new programming. The special, entitled, Alicia Keys: AOL Music "Sessions +1" Concert in NYC, is available on AOL and VEVO.[12]

References
  1. Jones, Anthony (13 April 2011). "Alicia Keys celebrates 10th anniversary of debut album with deluxe editions, concert". All Headline News. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  2. Smith, Jay (3 May 2011). "Alicia Keys' Special Night". Pollstar. Pollstar, Inc. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  3. Logan, Caragh (14 June 2011). "NEWS : Review: Alicia Keys, Piano & I @ The Royal Albert Hall". Rewind Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  4. Wener, Ben (25 June 2011). "Alicia Keys delivers tour de force at the Pantages". The Orange County Register. Freedom Communications. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  5. Farber, Jim (1 July 2011). "Alicia Keys breaks out covers and jazzed up versions of her own songs for anniversary performance". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  6. Gayles, Contessa (30 June 2011). "ALICIA KEYS SHINES AT 'PIANO & I' SHOW LIVE AT BEACON THEATRE". The Boombox. Aol, Inc. Archived from the original on 4 July 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  7. Fauchand, Nina (29 April 2011). "Alicia Keys sera bientôt à Paris pour un concert unique" [Alicia Keys will soon be in Paris for a unique concert]. Plurielles (in French). Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  8. "Alicia Keys Announces One-Off London Show". MTV UK. MTV Networks Europe. 15 April 2011. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  9. Bookbinder, Adam (15 June 2011). "Alicia Keys' Piano & I: A One Night Only Event Coming To Los Angeles". KTWV. CBS Radio. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  10. Ervolino, Bill (29 June 2011). "Alicia Keys celebrates 10th anniversary of her debut album with concert at Beacon Theatre". Herald News. North Jersey Media Group. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  11. "Billboard Boxscore - Current Scores". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 19 November 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  12. "AOL Kicks Off Launch Of "Sessions +1" Experience With Grammy® Award-Winning Artist Alicia Keys" (Press release). Business Wire. 27 June 2011. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
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