Res resurfaced last night at the City Winery in Chicago. The singer and songwriter emerged on the scene with her 2001 release How I Do that contained the hits “Golden Boy” and “They Say Vision.”
The vibe of the evening was set by native Chicagoan Avery R. Young and “de deacon board.” Young’s playful yet soulful deliverance was amazing. His set was deliberate. He has infused elements of the Black church and traditional soul and R&B and it creates the most appealing dish for the listeners’ consumption. By the end of the night, he went from having the audience sing along to one of his songs to singing “Hay” by West Side natives Crucial Conflict.
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Res’s set was nostalgic. It’s hard to believe her first release was 16 years ago. The raspy, unique tone of her voice has allowed her to stand apart from the crowd and carve a niche. She did all of her staples and the audience loved them. The most memorable part of her set proves to be the reason she is still so very relevant. Many may find it hard to place Res into a genre. I’m sure she doesn’t mind that fact. For this reason, she can do a song like a rock-infused “Golden Boy” and come back around to serve the crowd with the stepper’s song “Who You Are.” When she performed the latter, the crowd stood to their feet with their partners and the City Winery became a stepper’s set. It was a sight that was so uniquely Chicago and was clearly inspired by one of the most versatile artists of our time.
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Take a look at a few of the pics from the show below.