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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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Alicia Keys turns it way up for Seattle fans |
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| Alicia Keys turns it way up for Seattle fans | ||
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by Richard Kennedy -
SGN A&E Writer Alicia Keys September 20 WaMu Theater It's hard to believe that it's been eight years since Alicia Keys became an overnight sensation with the release of her debut single. Three hugely successful albums and tons of hits have bolstered her to superstar status all over the world. I have to admit, I turned my nose up at her music for a while in the beginning - I figured she was another young pop star who would turn out to be a one-hit wonder. On any given day this summer though, you could hear her infectious "No One" blasting from my car stereo as I rode around. I was more than excited to finally catch this "sensation" live last Saturday night. The R&B diva stormed out on stage like a force of nature, stomping to the beat and commanding the crowd like a seasoned soul singer. The opening track of her latest album As I Am was also the opener of her tour. "Go Ahead" had throbbing bass and a wild electric guitar that Keys danced around to. Tossing her hair every which way, she belted out "Go ahead, go on and get out of here, go on baby!" while the crowd slammed their fists into the air. Once I was able to catch my breath, I found myself surprised at how petite the Grammy-winning artist is. She's got the hottest body, some boomin' curvy thighs and a very tiny waist, which she accentuated with her high-waist, skintight white trousers. Sparkles adorned her suspenders and platform heels, as well as the butterfly on her purple retro T-shirt that finished off her outfit. She was far more striking in person than I expected. More new stuff followed with Keys, working her mic like Tina Turner, during "Teenage Love Affair" and a nod to The Supremes as her backup singers performed "Heartburn" along with her. The band was top notch and even included a blazing horn section that added to the hot revue-style show. Keys borrows heavily from other soul singers, but she does it extremely well. "What Goes Around" was brilliantly reworked like a '70s Santana song. Oddly enough, the crowd in the first 10 or so rows sat through most of this while the entire rest of the floor couldn't sit down through any number. As predicted, Keys' talent comes through mostly when she sits at the piano. Resting on a turntable platform, the baby grand revolved during "How Come You Don't Call Me." While fans snapped in rhythm, the 29-year-old sensation shared banter with her background singers and even gave them their own high-voltage solos. The two girls gave me chills, and the sexy male singer brought screams and whistles while they all belted about not getting that phone call mentioned in the song. Even though it was stage dialogue, it came off charming and unrehearsed. "Superwoman" mellowed things out as she dedicated the ballad to all the women in the audience, before leaving the stage for a short break while the band entertained with a musical interlude. The energy blasted through again as everyone danced to "Wreckless Love." Keys worked the mass into a frenzy, as she tossed around her scarf in sync with the driving beats. It wasn't long before the piano made its way back to the center of the stage. "Diary" from her second hit album turned into a powerhouse duet with her background singer Jermaine Paul. The ballad beautifully segued into the '80s song "Tender Love," while the two brought the house down and garnered a well-deserved standing ovation. "Unbreakable" and "Love Me Like You'll Never See Me Again" brought us right to the closing numbers. The opening bars of her mega debut single, "Falling" were peppered into a slamming piano solo. Proving her talent, the multi-Grammy winning song was masterfully reinterpreted in the style of James Brown. The Harlem-born songstress even worked a little of Brown's "It's a Man's World" into the middle, while still blending the classical melodies perfectly. It really is astonishing knowing much of her music is self-composed. This brought everyone onto their feet for another standing ovation, and then the pulsating beats of "No One" slammed everyone into a fist-waving hysteria. Keys jumped up and down with her fans while she belted the chorus. Security was working hard to keep everyone from rushing up to the stage as the energy exploded, the lights flashed and Keys proved to everyone that she has the stage presence and staying power that will eventually turn her into an R&B legend. As the lights went up, we were all a little surprised we didn't hear "If I Ain't Got You," but with a catalog like hers, considering that she isn't even 30 yet, what is there really to complain about? |
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