The mics were on when The R&B Invitation Tour hit Detroit Saturday, May 3, at the Fox Theatre.
Eric Benét’s mellifluous vocals opened the night of nostalgia with his dynamic range of tenor and falsetto. Accompanied by a female vocalist, the four-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter sang fan faves such as “I Wanna Be Loved,” “Georgie Porgy,” “Spend My Life,” and “Sometimes I Cry.” Known as a jokester, the “Chocolate Legs” crooner asked the crowd if they were happy with his performance “’cause I know Detroit don’t play that sh***,” he said. Gone are the days when he rocked the stage barefoot, as now he performs fully clothed, head to toe.
The crowd was heated and ready for more when Musiq Soulchild appeared with his honey-coated tone. Flanked by a band and two background singers who doubled as dancers, he delivered major hits, such as “Just Friends,” “Love,” “So Beautiful,” “Halfcrazy,” and “Forthenight” to B-side bops like “143,” “Previous Cats,” and “Mary Go Round.” The multiplatinum maestro hyped up the crowd with a brief segue into K-Dot’s “TV Off,” and later ended with “B.U.D.D.Y.”
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Celebrating 30 years in the game, Joe closed the night, reminding us why we put respect on his name. His sensually soothing voice lulled the crowd into a rhythmic hum as he sang ballads– “More and More” “Faded Pictures,” “I Wanna Know,” and “Love Scene” — as well as uptempo hits — “Still Not a Player” and “Stutter.” The “All The Things Your Man Won’t Do” singer revealed how he has written jams for his fellow R&B titans, including Brandy’s “Angel In Disguise” and Xscape’s “Softest Place on Earth.” Later on, the opening chorus of “Big Rich Town” sent the crowd into a frenzy, further proof of Joe’s impact on the culture.
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The R&B Invitation Tour wraps Saturday, May 10, in Charlotte, NC…