Maxwell live!
Maxwell
Chicago Theatre, Chicago
Saturday, October 18, 2008
“I can’t tell you how special it is not to have to put out an album, but to still see you all here,” Maxwell shouted to those gathered at the Chicago Theatre during his first trip through town in seven years. “It’s just me meeting my people in Chicago.” Between the lengthy absence, the fact this was part of local R&B radio station V103’s 20th anniversary bash and Internet rumors of new material about to surface, the Brooklyn-bred R&B singer had no trouble selling out the show within seconds.
With only three proper studio CDs in a 12-year career, Maxwell is far from prolific, but the singer has had an undeniable impact practically inventing the neo-soul movement. Backed by a slick merger of Prince’s pelvis-thrusts, shades of Motown giants, and sex drive more insatiable than Teddy Pendergrass in his prime, he has since inspired everyone from Musiq Soulchild to Anthony Hamilton and Kem on down, but is still toward the top of that heap.
In fact, Maxwell’s seasoned experience could be found with each bump, grind, and air grope of the 90-minute evening, which had the mostly female fanbase ready to paw for his pants at the onset of the horn soaked grooves in “Noone.” Aside from the ability to seduce with every perfectly projected note of the steamy “Lifetime,” the experience also benefited from a 10-member entourage and multi-level stage that switched between bedroom intimacy one minute and a pulsating club the next.
“W/As My Girl” met somewhere in the middle, with a jazzy trumpet solo carrying Maxwell’s subtle steps as he serenaded women in the front row, accepted flowers and even held up a few pairs of panties tossed onstage. Luckily, the latter interaction never reached Tom Jones territory, and he soon put the game face back on to introduce a few cuts from the forthcoming Black Summer’s Night, starting with the pretty but predictable ballad “Pretty Wings” and finding more luck with an unannounced selection (presumably “Bad Habits”) that was unbelievably dirty, but destined for the dance floor.
As much as Maxwell’s libido has become a trademark, it was sometimes a distracting sideshow in light of his obvious vocal talents. “Is it O.K. if you lay on top of me tonight?” he purred to only the “single women,” while providing a clothed picture of what that could look using the microphone as a partner. He also teased “brothers, you’re gonna get you some tonight and you don’t even have to say you love her,” a concept best echoed throughout his debut single, “. . .Til The Cops Come Knockin’.”
But flat out lust eventually transformed into genuine love come the finale “Whenever Wherever Whatever,” which found the gentleman side of Maxwell on his knees pledging to last for the long haul. It may sound like a tough sell after spending so much of the set list as a player, but he belted out the song so strikingly it was downright believable. As for which side of this debonair dude will appear on Black Summer’s Night, this tour suggests a bit of both, though never one to rush a reflection, Maxwell appeared content to merely get reacquainted with his regulars.
— Andy Argyrakis
Category: Live Reviews, Weekly
