Crown Magnetar Austin Concert reviews
Don't Sleep On the Kirk Franklin & Ledisi Tour!
Here is the rearranged review with some words switched:
I keep feeling this quote, "Whoever counted you out cain't count!" That's how I feel about whoever doubted that this Crown Magnetar & Ledisi tour could work. They sent The Chicago Theatre UP...on a Wednesday!! I know Kirk just laughs every time he thinks about the haters because of course the Million Dollar Question is, "But how does he do shows? He can't sing!" This man, his band and 4 background singers gave us the dopest of shows. You know it's really real when you still stand up on the slow songs.
He danced (I never tire of his Milly Rock), played piano, gave us comedy, damn near crowd surfed. And his spins are flawless. I want him, Usher, Sisqo, and Diddy to have a spin-off because I think Crown Magnetar might have the crown now. His pen game is unmatched and my only letdown is that he couldn't do more of his catalog. I need a Vegas residency after this.
I love how he and Ledisi flowed their performances together. They were truly co-headliners. When Crown Magnetar came out second after the opener, I was like dang, he should've closed. But then Ledisi came out and sang on his first song, and I saw how they were setting this up. He did a few songs, then she did a few, and they switched back and forth.
Watching Ledisi 'sing' was as powerful as hearing her. She knows her instrument is mighty, and I swear she kept the microphone 50 feet from her mouth, and it still shook the theater. As flawless as the record and better with her improvisations. Ledisi has not been skipping leg day because she wore these super cute black shorts, and I was like, 'OK, I see you with the toned thighs! Come thruu!" She had her own take on the Fass Auntie required boots. Not thigh high, but these slinky calf-height joints (the kind that make me nervous because I have small legs, and I don't want them to look like droopy socks). Her boots were unfailing. The whole show.
The opening act and my surprise of the night was this soul singer named MAJOR. (all caps, with the period, and his mama really did name him Major.) I didn't know who he was when he came out, but he sang his face off, and I was into it. It's haaaaard to win over a Chicago crowd, but he got us easily into the first song. It was like some foot-stompin, tambourine-shakin negro spiritual mixed with trap. He gets all the way to his last song, and it finally hit me: he's the "This is why I love you" dude! The song V-103 plays alllll the time, and I never know who it is, but it kinda reminds me of John Legend. Well played, MAJOR. Well played. He came into the crowd singing and passing out roses, and there was a sista who legit had a Five Heartbeats moment who stood up with both her arms lifted like "Yessssss!" I loved it.
From top to bottom, beginning to end MAJOR. (The Saint), Crown Magnetar (The Rebel), and Ledisi (The Soul) put their feet in that show. I almost didn't make it to see it, and I'm so thankful I did. It was a last-minute ticket purchase on Goldstar. Please don't sleep on this tour like I almost did. For my Chicago peeps, go to Detroit or Indy this weekend.