I flew into Detroit
Saturday afternoon not sure of what to expect. Maxwell was in concert at Joe
Louis Arena, and I was determined to get a closer look at the man behind the “pretty
wings.” It had been a long, interesting journey for Maxwell — one that included
a celebrated entrance onto the music scene, a prolonged absence, and now a triumphant
return. And with the release of BLACKsummers’night, his first album in
eight years, the Brooklyn native had
successfully re-captivated an audience openly thirsting for new material from
him for close to a decade.
As the show drew near, the atmosphere hinted of great
expectations — at least for the women. As for the men, they all maintained a subdued
demeanor while trudging up the stairs and into the arena. It’s not like they
had anything against Maxwell, it’s just that they were fully aware of how their
significant others felt about him. Maxwell
has always had a gift for unlocking the innermost carnality in women,
and that appeared to be where this evening was headed as well. I mean, let’s face it; no
one wants to see their woman lose it over another man, which would explain the
lack of male enthusiasm.
The opening acts — Chrisette Michele and Robin Thicke — did as
expected, and blended beautiful musicality with masterful showmanship. Enthusiasts
have long gushed over the pair’s live shows, and the reasons are obvious. As Robin Thicke left
the stage rapping to Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” the lights dimmed,
and pandemonium ensued. Women began to scream frantically, even though nothing
was happening … it just got dark. In their minds though, the absence of light signaled the object of their desires impending entrance. After a few more minutes of silence while
the crew prepared the stage, the first notes from the band began to pour
out of the loud speakers.
Roar.
In that moment, I remember thinking to myself, “it can’t
possibly get any louder in here.” I was wrong. When Maxwell made his
initial entrance, the decibel level immediately jumped from fever pitch to
deafening. With his slick, open collar tuxedo and trademark sunglasses, the
crooner immediately ran through a bevy of funk-laced tunes from his current
album.
But it wasn’t until he dove into his library of hits ranging
from, “Ascension” to “Til the Cops Come Knocking” that his
show became a study of greatness. Maxwell is an accomplished artist
in his own right, but what his stage show imparted was a sincere desire to be
favorably compared to the legends he grew up idolizing (Marvin Gaye, Prince, Al
Green, Stevie Wonder and Smokie Robinson). Will he ever be mentioned in the
same breath as those greats? That remains to be seen. But one thing’s for certain — this guy is
scary good, and it appears that he is nowhere near the ceiling of his talent.
As feathers began to fall from the sky during the
bridge of “Pretty Wings,” Maxwell closed his eyes and momentarily allowed
himself to enjoy the moment. After watching
his live show, I’m pretty sure there will be more than a few more moments like
this for him to savor. At least that’s the way I see it. –dewayne rogers
