A year after his most recent success in a residency program at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, R&B singer Maxwell returned to Washington, DC, for a concert at Capital One Arena on Friday, October 4, 2024. The concert, dubbed The Serenade Tour, was supported by Jazmine Sullivan and October London.
The first act to take the stage was October London. The Death Row singer started his set with a video introduction that paid homage to legendary spy James Bond. The crooner then took the stage in dapper attire. He began his set with the single "She Keeps Calling" from his upcoming album "October Nights ."The singer kept the new material coming as he performed "Touch On Me." However, when the singer went into selections from his acclaimed project "The Rebirth Of Marvin," the crowd was on their feet.
The first selection was "Mulholland Drive," which set the stage for the singer's bodyguard to propose to his girlfriend. October closed his set with his single "Back To Your Place ."While my favorite song, "Rollercoaster from "The Rebirth of Marvin," didn't make the setlist, seeing the proposal take place more than made up for it.
The alluring Jazmine Sullivan was next to take the stage. The ladies were on their feet from the moment she walked out on stage! Ms. Sullivan kicked things off with a one-two punch of "10 Second" and "Bust Your Windows ."The songstress then proceeded to make her way through hits from your sixteen years career with a twelve-song setlist. Highlights included "Let It Burn," "BPW," and "Hurt Me So," but it was her performance of "In Love With Another Man" that validated her status as a singer's singer. Sullivan ended her set with "Pick Up Your Feelings."
The man of the hour, Maxwell, took the stage around 9:30 . Dressed in Egyptian style attire, Maxwell's set began with a cover of "Simply Beautiful" followed by an energetic trifecta of "Get to Know Ya," "Lake by the Ocean" and "Sumthin Sumthin." Naturally, the crooner put his knees to work, winning the audience with his dancing.
What was most surprising about the event, though, was the singer performing selections from his experimental sophomore album "Embrya." "Matrimony: Maybe You" and "Luxury: Cococure" sounded great. However, when this brutha went into "Drowndeep: Hula," I had a moment of musical bliss. That particular song is a favorite, and I never thought I would hear it live.
"Drowndeep: Hula" set the stage for the ballad portion of Maxwell's show. Naturally, the classic hits like "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever," "Lifetime," and "Fortunate" made their way into the setlist and had the ladies in the audience swooning. However, as a fan of album tracks, "For Lovers Only," from his third album, won the night for me. As the night began to wind down, Maxwell performed a cover of "You Are My Starship" and closed the evening out, paying homage to the late Frankie Beverly and transitioning into his final number, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)."
"The Serenade Tour" was my fifth time seeing Maxwell, and the singer continues to wow with his live game.
Final Grade: A
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