The slender entertainer let loose her inner geek and came off like an affable, female James Brown with the relentless drum beat of her trio’s (there was also a drummer and guitarist) first song and other ultra-memorable tunes. Monae is an infectious, natural talent who drew lots of fervent applause from the audience.
Next up was N.E.R.D., performing complete with a band that had two drummers and knocking off numerous songs from the act’s catalog. The crowd was utterly enthusiastic about the N.E.R.D. shtick, throwing up hand signs in the funk of body heat and pizza slices. Last but certainly not least, Common took the stage and proved why he is one of the best M.C.s making records today. –forrest green III
