‘Black Violin Full Circle Tour 2025’ @ Bass Performance Hall
Photos courtesy of Black Violin & Bass Performance Hall
Rickey Wax
When the lights dimmed at Bass Performance Hall, the stage glowed in an indigo hue. Two stools sat center stage, a keyboard off to the left, and a DJ booth holding court on the right. Above it all, incandescent bulbs floated—unlit. Then, with no warning, the room erupted in sound. A burst of fanfare, a flicker of light, and Kev Marcus’s violin entered in a crisp pianissimo staccato—sharp, deliberate, like a heartbeat gaining tempo. Right behind him came Wil Baptiste on the viola, bowing long velvety legato phrases that stretched across the room.
And in that instant, you could see why these two have lasted twenty years together as ‘Black Violin”—and earned two Grammy nominations. The stage pulsed alive in amber and gold, bulbs shifting hues as if synced to their spirit. They launched into “Dirty Orchestra,” a declaration piece if there ever was one—equal parts elegance and defiance. It was as if Bach wandered into a Miami block party and decided to stay a while.
The energy only grew with “Stereotype,” a fusion of hip-hop, classical form, and turntable bravado. DJ SPS joined in, scratching samples that punctuated the rhythm while a soundbite looped the word “stereotype”—a not-so-subtle nod to the duo’s long-standing mission of dismantling musical boxes. Kev’s double stops were tight and intentional, pushing the violin into the percussive space usually reserved for drums. Wil’s viola lines soared above it, lush and conversational, creating a dialogue rather than a duet. The piece built tension like a crescendo in cmotion, expanding until the room could barely contain it—then dropped into “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims and, suddenly, the entire theater was singing along. (We held our own, I might add.)
In Part Two, the duo shifted gears. The lights softened to a silvery glow as Wil Baptiste led a tribute to the late D’Angelo, inviting the audience into a tender rendition of “Untitled” (How Does It Feel). Sitting center stage, bathed in a single spotlight, Baptiste’s viola took on the sensual warmth of a voice. The tone was sultry and deliberate—each note swelling like a breath drawn and released. It was R&B rendered in strings, and it worked wonderfully.
Then came a moment of pure magic: the improvisation segment. “This part of the show changes every night,” Baptiste said, smiling. “It’s about y’all’s energy.” What followed was a funky, synth-infused jam that might’ve been pulled straight out of the 1980s. Drummer Nate Stokes laid down a rhythmic bed of bass and snare with an effortless groove, throwing in a solo that made the whole audience cheer. (I’m convinced his sticks were enchanted.)
My personal favorite came next—an inventive take on Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. As a former violist, I nearly lost it. The precision! The way they took a 350-year-old Bach piece and injected it with hip-hop beats and syncopated rhythms—turning counterpoint into call-and-response—was both audacious and inspired. It reminded me how elastic music can be when you refuse to confine it to genre.
Black Violin’s chemistry is what makes the show soar. Kev Marcus (Kevin Sylvester) and Wil (Wilner) Baptiste met over two decades ago in orchestra class. Since then, the Florida natives have built a career blending classical instrumentation with hip-hop production, proving that Beethoven and Biggie can share the same measure.
The show closed with some lighthearted fun. The duo reenacted their appearance on “Showtime at the Apollo,” complete with the iconic wooden stump, which sent the crowd into gales of laughter. And then—because they could—they turned the hall into a dance floor. A rapid-fire montage of hits followed: “24K Magic,” “Don’t Start Now,” “Yeah,” “They Not Like Us.” Each song stitched seamlessly into the next until the final number, their uplifting anthem “Beautiful Day,” brought the house to its feet.
At the end, the indigo lights returned. The bulbs glowed again—this time alive. What began as a classical concert had become a full-on communal celebration, reminding us that strings don’t just belong in symphony halls. They belong anywhere people have rhythm, heart, and a reason to move.
WHEN: Nov. 4th, 2025 (presented by Performing Arts Fort Worth)
WHERE: 525 Commerce St, Fort Worth
WEB: basshall.com
