Diva. Queen. Icon. Mother. Those titles, once reserved for a select few, are now used liberally to describe any variety of female pop star. But they fit like a sequined stiletto during The Queens tour stop Thursday night at Toyota Center — an R&B history lesson featuring Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills.
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The nearly four-hour show drew the grown-and-sexy crowd who consistently make Majic 102.1 FM one of the most-listened-to stations in Houston. Between sets, a DJ kept them hype with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross classics. Controller Chris Hollins made a brief onstage appearance to honor the entire Queens crew with a resolution from his office, honoring them as a “powerful example of what can be achieved when world-class artistry is supported by intentionally inclusive, community-centered production leadership.”
Knight, who turned 82 Thursday night, opened with a 20-minute set of shortened versions of some of her best-known songs. She needed some help moving around but radiated joy from opener “Love Overboard” through “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “Midnight Train to Georgia.” The smile never left her face, and she sounded terrific, aided by a trio of truly glorious background singers…