Do you like R&B and soul music? Were you a fan twenty years ago? If so, you would have enjoyed the concert Friday evening at the Arie Crown Theater. Billed as "The R&B Invitation Tour," this show brought together three hitmakers from the early 2000s: Joe, Musiq Soulchild, and Eric Benét.
The Arie Crown Theatre is hidden in the back of the McCormick Place convention center, making it one of the least accessible venues in the city. Despite this, a crowd packed the auditorium to hear three excellent performances by three excellent singers.
The evening opened with Eric Benét, who played a brief set, including his hit "Spend My Life With You" and his cover of Toto's "Georgy Porgy," which inspired the audience to sing along. He was joined on stage by talented young singer Charity Davis, who alternated between background vocalist and duetist.
The next act featured Musiq Soulchild, a singer-songwriter known for combining R&B, funk, blues, and jazz. Two dancers accompanied him, gyrating to the rhythms of his singing. He opened with his biggest hit, "Halfcrazy," immediately engaging the audience.
Between sets, comedian MC Lightfoot entertained with dirty jokes, silly dancing, poking fun at the audience, and old songs played by a DJ. I have seen funnier comedians, but he was good enough to keep us interested until the next act was ready.
Finally, Joe took the stage as headliner, performing for over an hour. Joe's brand of soul music features many love songs and erotic lyrics, and his stage show played off this. Some of his dance moves were suggestive, and he frequently moved to the front to flirt and hold hands with ladies crowding the stage. One aggressive woman refused to let go of his hand, even after he whispered, "Let me do my show, baby," for all the audience to hear. He closed the evening with two of his best: "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)" and "I Wanna Know."
Each act was more complex than the one before. Benét performed to recorded music, Musiq had three musicians behind him, and a full band backed Joe. None of the singers returned for an encore, and each kept their set to a reasonable time, allowing the aging crowd to get home early.
It was a lovely evening that I was fortunate to spend with a special person.
Photos: