Fortunate: An Account of Maxwell's Radio City Music Hall Comeback Performance
"Get to Know Ya," built from behind Radio City Music Hall's curtains before last night's sold out crowd heard or caught a glimpse of the resurgent Maxwell. My sister had yet to return from the ladies lounge where minutes earlier Law & Order's Detective Finn Tutuola, gentlemanly clean, pleasantly greeted fans as he stood waiting on his wife Coco. I was nervous. It felt momentous and I didn't want her to miss a thing but she sped back into our second row center seats just in time.
Maxwell, his mane long since abandoned, appeared, descended the bandstand, his 10 cohorts in full groove, showing hints of the Marvin Gaye meets Jackie Wilson meets the 5 Borough melting pot style he's adopted. It's high octane but doesn't recall that famous MTV Unplugged couch shimmying and booty shaking that some used to attribute to his Puerto Rican lineage. It was more Rat Pack with a bit of raunch smoothed out by his winning smile and absolute guilelessness. People of color predominated from chain-hang-low types to single thirtysomething women to mature couples to every industry insider (Kevin Liles, Stephen Hill, Andre Harrell, Sylvia Rhone). I felt privileged to be there and lucky to be so close.
My notes on the evening are a little sketchy because I wanted to be present. I yelped, screeched, and ululated like my borough's afrocentric women do when they get going. He's so pretty and chivalrous--from my witness he kisses the hand of most women he encounters--but then he's self deprecating, which cuts him down to a size that doesn't intimidate. In fact, he introduced three new songs during his 16 song set. "Pretty Wings," which is on his MySpace, "Bad Habits" and "Comb," which ended his encore. Before and after both joints, he begged our pardon. It wasn't a necessary gesture. We were collectively so starved of his presence that we were poised to gulp down whatever he proffered but it was appreciated.
He didn't venture but one song into Embrya territory at all with its new slang and bubbles-a-plenty. "Drowndeep: Hula" is that song though and it was missed and a few bars of "Luxury: Cococure" would have definitely widened my smile. But I still sweat my hoodie's pits out and hoarsened my flu raw voice and wouldn't hesitate to call this show, the fourth best that I have attended, after Stevie Wonder at the Apollo, D'Angelo at Radio City Music Hall and Prince at Madison Square Garden. It was great. It was a moment that can't be replicated. Maxwell teared up, late in the show, overcome by our complete devotion. He's a Brooklyn kid after all that made good and then skidded into recording purgatory. It seemed to have affected his confidence although not his performance. If we devotees buoyed it just a smidgen last night then I guess that's thanks for his ingenious brand of soul.
Check my Flickr slideshow below:
Set List:
"Get to Know Ya," "No One," "Lifetime," "This Woman's Work," "Everwanting: To Want You To Want," "Sumthin', Sumthin'," (Unknown Cover/Band Solos), "W/As My Girl", "Pretty Wings," "Simply Beautiful," "Fortunate," "Bad Habits," "'Til the Cops Come Knockin'," "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)", "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever," "Comb"
Tags: Maxwell, Radio City Music Hall, Soul
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Comments
1.
smilingsista says:
Hey, Jalylah :o). Many thanks for this fab review! A while back, a friend texted me when he heard that Maxwell would be in Ohio, too -- but in Cincinnati (pretty far from where I am). Your notes make me think I ought to endure the trek!
10/12/2008 at 1:29 AM
2.
huny says:
thanks for the props on my soulbounce review! I dig yours, too. I woulda died in the 2nd row...to be that close and behold the sweat beads and gyration up in my face. I was a bit farther back trying to keep my cool.
"rat pack"...that's the perfect description. I couldn't think of how to explain it, so I said "big band".
I LOVE drowndeep:hula. infact, it's my favorite maxwell song. 2nd fave is w/as my girl. I wish he would've done a bit more from embrya but I was obviously pleased with the overall show nonetheless.
10/11/2008 at 10:56 AM
3.
professorf says:
Maxwell has yet to disappoint during any of the live performances that I've attended. Watching him last night I felt blessed to be in the presence of an artist who is aging so gracefully.
10/10/2008 at 11:15 PM