I`m usually a fiend at concerts. Seriously. My friends can testify that I`m typically so mad with hyper energy that I`m up out of my seat dancing, singing every son and I incline to make the folks around me wonder if I traded a little piece of my sanity for my can at the show. But when I got the chance to find one of my favorite acts in the story of music (Sade) take the stage, I couldn`t even act a fool - and that wasn`t for want of enjoyment.
No, I Thoroughly enjoyed the dark of smooth R&B and know at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte delivered by the incomparable Sade, accompanied by John Legend as the opening act.
John Legend`s set began with a deal of Adele`s chart-topping smash Rolling In The Deep and of the few cover versions I`ve heard, his is among the best! His set was fairly modest, and he performed hits spanning his 7-year career, including I Can Change, So High, This Time and his infamous classic Ordinary People. He kicked things into high gear as he shut out with Green Light, the funky lead single from his third studio album Evolver.
Sade`s performance can alone be described as a visual spectacle. In fact, the primary reason I kept my composure throughout the point is because I was only in awe, captivated by the entire performance. Visual effects added to the band`s immense appeal, and it felt as if we were watching an extended music video or movie unfold right there on the stage. The band`s lead singer Sade Adu emerged from the deck during Soldier of Love, the group`s opening number, clad in a mere black ensemble and her voice resonated throughout the field all night long. After the first act she briefly thanked the thousands of fans in attendance for sticking by the group during their hiatus, and welcoming them back. With that, the circle struck into Kiss of Life and continued down a memory-filled journey lasting more than two hours, that included major hits like Sweetest Taboo, Paradise, Love Is Stronger Than Pride and one of my personal favorites, King of Sorrow. From their new album Soldier of Love the group also serenaded the crew with Skin, In Another Time and Moon and the Sky, all while dazzling backdrops and optical effects made the show impossible to not enjoy. I found myself mesmerized by the fluidity with which the band played, as if they`d never spent a decade apart from the touring stages. During Jezebel, the principal singer took a place on the border of the present while the band faded to black save for the saxophonist - together they delivered an absolutely flawless and heartfelt rendition of the song, allowing her vocals to soar and resonate right alongside the sax. Amazing! As the present came to a close, we were hardened with By Your Side and the band returned for an encore with the timeless classic Cherish The Day.
Sade`s show was unlike anything I`d ever seen before. I`m accustomed to shows that centre about the singer(s) and backup dancers without much care on the band, though the shows really aren`t much without the band. In this performance, each member was an entertainer and integral part of the show - each owning the leg at one level or another. There was no motive for dancers or extra pieces to deviate from the music. The output quality of this record was one by today`s performers, which further helps to solidify Sade as a timeless group of professionals with no motive for smoking and mirrors to get a crowd, only the vast talent they`ve possessed and showcased for more than 25 years. Sade was really a separate act and this concert will go down in history as one of my favorite live performances ever witnessed. I grew up on their music, in my adult years I grew to know them and I am proud to have been affected by such an elaborate treat to the eyes, the ears and the soul.
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