No more than fifteen minutes later, Jill hit the stage in what seemed to be a sequined blouse and stretch pants. I personally liked the bright sparkled top but my aunt said, "Why she come out there with that winter shirt on?" (hater). Her stage set featured the band, 3 male backup singers decked in all black and Clark Kent glasses referred as "The Pipes" (love that name :-) ), and two see-through boxes that featured some booty shaking dancers that again seemed to be an ill fit. She opened up with "Gimmie" and went through all of her major hits. I'm glad she sung my favorites from the last album, but I wouldn't have mind if she had done "Slowly, Surely" one of my favorites from her first live album, "Experience" (not necessarily the studio album version). She also treated us to a few of her new songs from the upcoming (I-don't-know-when-that-shit-gonna-come-out) album. Now, I featured both of these tracks. One song, which I didn't catch the name of, reflected her appreciation for old-school hip-hop because it definitely had that lyrical swag and retro vibe to it. The other song was a ballad of sorts that she had performed at the last NAACP awards. I believe it was called "The Call". I really liked this joint because it featured a raw emotion that Jill works so effortlessly. Her acting skills were really showcased here as she began to tear up and her voice began to shake, like a contrived Beyonce on "Flaws and All". But of course, my tired azz still got my life. More hits like "The Way", "Hate On Me" followed as the show ended on the energetic/inspiring "Golden". I did enjoy Jill's set, she definitely left me desiring more. Once the stage was set for Maxwell, I knew that he was definitely ready to light a match of excitement for the crowd. His set featured big screens displaying art and animations to highlight feeling and emotion of each song rendered. It definitely seemed that his staging was on a grander scale than Jill's, although I heard that it was toned down from his last concert tour stop here in St. Louis. Considering that I'm not the biggest Maxwell fan, I was surprised at his engaging stage presence. I suppose that I was still stuck on what I heard was a debacle on his tour stop a couple of years ago with Alicia Keys at The Fox. It was said that Alicia upstaged him, having dropped his microphone and not being the performer as expectation had him to be. But he put all of those concerns to rest as he had the audience on their feet during his whole set. Having jumped on platforms, smelling panties thrown on the stage (which I think he already had his own supply of), and interacting with the crowd, Maxwell proved himself to be a seasoned entertainer. The way he moved and choreographed his body and the microphone, reminded one of Usher. Who thought that the guy I once knew as the meek and mild neo-soul singer with this woolly mammoth hair would be such a commander of the stage! In no particular order he featured "Somethin, Somethin", "Cold", "Bad Habits", "Woman's Worth", "Til The Cops Come Knockin", and his last hit "Pretty Wings". Overall I give this concert a B+ and a "Yes, Gurah!".
