Tevin Campbell in Concert ~ COME BACK TO THE WORLD

Tevin Campbell.  I know...  It's been ages since you've even thought about him, but (i.e. if you're like me) hearing a few bars of the intros to "Can We Talk" and "I'm Ready" on a radio station that plays the (a'hem) "older" hits, can take you back to your youth!

I'm a 90s R&B aficionado.  My addiction is serious.  Something about the romance, melody, and soul of that time appeals more to me than the complete lack of subtlety dripping in today's lyrics.  "Dripping", you ask?  Yes.  "Dripping" can be gross, and I think some of today's music is gross --- but that's not the point of this post.

Tevin Campbell hit the scene when about 25 years ago.  ****  Did I just type "25 years ago"?!!?  I'm getting old...  People of the R&B era, familiar with New Jack Swing artists (e.g. Tony, Toni, Tone and of course every artist who Teddy Riley ever produced) probably remember Tevin hitting the scene with "Round and Round".  Round and Round was produced, in 1990, by Prince and on Prince's Graffiti Bridge CD.  Remember the music video?  I do.

Tevin Campbell followed that track up with other memorable hits.  "Can We Talk", "I'm Ready", and "Tell Me What You Want Me To Do" are on a playlist with other tracks that I'll listen to over and over, when trying to wind down after a long day (i.e. on a plane and/or when I just have time to myself).  Those songs remind me of high school, when relationships were soooooooo dramatic --- and in hindsight overly romantic, completely stupid, and overly encompassing.  HA!  Yeah, that about sums it up...

Anyway, for those of you wondering, Tevin can still sing.  He performed last night at The Howard Theatre.  The Howard Theatre is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to see a show.  It's an intimate venue where you can enjoy top talent and a "comforting" menu.  Music to your ears and food for your soul ---  that's The Howard Theatre.

Dressed in dark suit pants and a black shirt (i.e. with a white T-shirt peaking through), Tevin performed for over an hour and belted out his hits.  He also covered Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.

Towards the end of the show, he asked the crowd whether there was anyone out there who thought he wouldn't be able to sing anymore.  A few members of the audience were honest enough to raise their hands.  He just laughed, smiled, and said he loves to prove them wrong.

I was one person away from the stage.  I could actually touch the stage, if I wanted to.  I can tell you that Tevin Campbell's smile is big.  He genuinely seemed happy and surprised to see a packed house.  People showed up to see him sing.  People sang their hearts out along with him.  Yes, we all have Google and may/not have heard about his issues in the past, but last night no one cared.  It was a friendly crowd.

Tevin said he's working on new material, and the crowd cheered at the news.  I look forward to new hits from a very talented man.

Come Back to the World, Tevin!  Your fans miss you.


THE WIRK

Babyface at the Howard Theatre - Love song 90s flashback

I'm a sucker for 90s R&B and I love a good love song.  When I saw that Babyface was at The Howard Theatre, I knew I had to grab a ticket and go.  I picked up my ticket on StubHub, where I found it for 50% off the Ticketmaster price. 

Sure enough, as soon as I bought the ticket, I was reminded that the Denver Broncos were playing Thursday night football.  Oh well.  I hadn't seen Babyface since the mid 90s and I wanted to go.  Every time I've noticed that he was performing near me in the past, his schedule never coincided with mine, so I had to seize the opportunity.

I'd never been to the Howard Theatre before.  I knew it had "recently" been redone.  I went in not knowing what to expect and wow, was I surprised!  It's great in there.  They don't pack people in and there was seating for everyone from what I could tell.  The tickets were general admission, but you may have been able to reserve a table.  I'm not really sure.  The venue serves a full menu, so next time I'm definitely getting there early to dine.  I was able to pull right in front of the theatre and valet my car for $20.  Retrieving the car only took about 20 minutes.

Babyface opened the show with "For the Cool in You" and played songs that he's known for singing and those that he wrote for Bobby Brown, Tevin Campbell, etc.  The show only lasted about 1 hour and 40 minutes, but easily could've ran 3 hours with his extensive catalog.  Personally, I would've preferred that he sang longer, but that's always the case with artists that I love.

The crowd and I sang along through most of the show and Babyface told stories of his youth and how he enjoyed being in love.  To be a successful writer, you need to write about what you know and I'm a firm believer that Babyface is an expert when it comes to writing a love song.  He has the formula down to a science.  Granted he's not the most charismatic artist to ever take the stage, but as he tells his stories you can see he has a sense of humor.

The new year is almost upon us, and then there's Valentine's Day.  Babyface's show was an early Valentine's Day present to myself!

And best of all Peyton Manning led the Broncos to victory later that night.


THE WIRK