CONCERT REVIEW: MAXWELL Late To Stage, But Right On Time (Jacksonville.com)
Soul Singer’s New Album Debuted No. 1 Last Month
By Topher Sanders
Story updated at 2:21 AM on Monday, Aug. 3, 2009
Better late than never was how many in the crowd might describe soul singer Maxwell’s performance at the Times-Union Center For Performing Arts on Sunday.
The singer, who has been away from music for eight years, took nearly an hour to get on stage after opening act, gospel artists Mary Mary, finished their set.
The break between performances gave those in the sold-out crowd time to refresh their drinks once, twice and even three times.
But all was forgiven when the opening guitar chords for “Get to Know Ya,” from the 2001 Album “Now,” filled the Times-Union Center and Maxwell appeared on stage with a close-cut suit and lacking his signature Afro.
The predominately female crowd sprang to their feet and stayed that way for nearly the entire hour and 20 minutes Maxwell performed.
Maxwell, 36, burst on to the scene in 1996 with “Urban Hang Suite,” which introduced the world to Maxwell’s smooth, rich sound that exists somewhere in between Earth Wind & Fire and R. Kelly–cool enough for my generation and younger, but grown enough for my momma’s generation.
And Sunday’s crowd was an example of Maxwell’s varied appeal, with young and um…less-young well represented.
Eight year’s since his last album, Maxwell’s “Blacksummers’night” debuted at no. 1 last month. The singer thanked the Times-Union Center crowd for supporting his music for more than a decade.
Backed by a 10-member band, Maxwell’s performance, dripped of…no, it oozed of sex. Maxwell did the splits, humped the floor and free-styled a song that featured him welcoming a woman home from work and ended in a way that had all the women frazzled.
The singer’s falsetto vocals were smooth and unfaltering during songs like “Lifetime,” “W/As My Girl,” and “Sumthin’Sumthin,’” all from his older albums.
From the new album he performed “Cold,” “Bad Habits” and the mega hit “Pretty Wings.”
The undisputed highlight of the night was Maxwell’s beloved rendition of Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work.” Even grown men jumped out their seat to sing along when they heard the song’s subtle piano chords begin to play.
During the performance, Maxwell knelt on one knee and grabbed the hand of a woman in the first row and began singing the song directly to her. The woman bounced around shook with excitement.
The singer took credit for all the beautiful women at performance and questioned the men if they somehow ended up alone after his show.
“Ya’ll know what you getting into after the show,” he said. “You might have to call in sick on Monday.”
One thing was clear Sunday night, Maxwell’s baby-making-music is back.
This entry was posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at 4:10 am and is filed under Concert Reviews 2009. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
