The Concert!
(written by DHolmes, Keeper Of His Muszical Inspirations)
The Set
The color scheme for the set was white-on-white…with crisp white sheets of semi-transparent silk panels cascading down from the ceiling to create a backdrop of pure white. The front curtains were of the same fabric… Facing the stage from left to right, the band is perched high on all white platforms. Backup singers are positioned stage left. While, horn and guitar players stand to the left and right of center in front of the raised band members. Maxwell donned a white on white ensemble which included long pants, and a tank shirt beneath an unbuttoned long-sleeve shirt. His hair was braided and covered with a white crocheted skull-cap type thingy. Near the end of the concert, he switches to a black-on-black version of his outfit.
Part I
As the lights went down multi-color back lights transformed the closed curtains into the colorful live version of the EMBRYA cover … and in the background you hear "Embrya",the song, playing… Suddenly we hear his beautiful voice as he begins to sing a slow "Mellowsmoothe Sumthin/Reunion" like intro number… With the curtain still drawn, his silhouette surronded by smoke appears as he continues to croon his opening number…
Suddenly the light go up as Maxwell comes forward as he starts to jam "Sumthin Sumthin" which then segues into an abreviated rendition of "Mellowsmoothe Sumthin" and finally segues nicely into "Ever Wanting To Want You". Suddenly the music breaks into this funky (and I mean funky like a James Brown Uhhh Uhhh) rendition of "You Are Me We Are You …"Maxwell is moving and grooving to the beat as only Maxwell can do. Then it segues into an Arab/India snake charmer groove which features a dance routine with Maxwell and LaTina Webb (If you saw the two of them dance at the Soul Train awards to Matrimony, the moves, and LaTina's outfit were similar) (Hot Hot Hot!) End Of Part One…
Part II
Max chats with the audience a little… and has the house lights come up. He shares with us this story about how when he used to go to concerts, he always had to sit in the back. Maxwell went on to say how he'd made vow to look out for the people in the back. He then goes on to choose two (2) people from the back and seat them front row! As they come forward, Max ad libs with a soulful slow song that starts out with " You gotta look out for the little people…" Max continues to chat with the audience about matrimony which he tells "Candice" the lucky fan… he's going to do for her. He hugs and kisses her…Maxwell begins to sing. This time it's "Matrimony:Maybe You" with a verse of "SuiteLady Will You Marry Me" from MTV Unplugged. The music on this one is arranged differently as well… You'll have to hear it for yourself... As Arroz Con Pollo begins to play Maxwell leaves the stage. Curtains draw closed and the stage hands begin to change the set. End Of Part Two…
Part III
You Shouldn't Know These Things… Oh my God!!!!!!!! The lighting on this one is indescribable. Maxwell stood perched on a platform, with backlighting and smoke screens that made him appear angelic (like a spirit or a ghost). It was as if you were seeing an apparition. His voice on this song made my heart sink…You feel every note! At the end of this one he crouches slowly downward into a fetal position…The music begins again as the band begins to play "Gravity: Pushing To Pull". Bright white light spotlighting only his face make Maxwell appear again "spirit like" yet again…End Of Part Three…
Part IV
Curtains drawn…Maxwell emerges to pull a tall chair to the edge of the stage straddles it. He then begins to sing "Whenever Wherever Whatever" (partially in English partially in Spanish)… Look out for Maxwell's last notes on this tune for they are lonnnnnng and breath taking! At its conclusion, Maxwell chats with the audience a little more about death and people passing on as a prelude to "This Woman's Work"! This is where he introduces the audience to the new song "I Wanna Get To Know You" an up-tempo groove that's gonna have the Keepers around the world jamming. (Remember the jam called "Saturday Love"that goes Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Love…similar beat...) The brother is moving and grooving on this one too! After you get to know him/her what comes next? "TTCCK" which segues nicely into "Submerge" and back to "TTCCK"What more can I say, he blew it up!!!! Again the lighting during "Submerge" is magnificent!!! Maxwell thanks everyone and begins to jam "Ascension" the curtains go down…
The Encore
Maxwell (along with the band) emerges wearing black pants and tank top. Maxwell wonders out loud why everybody is still there…"Are yall waiting on something?" he asks… "Fortunate"begins to play…Finally Maxwell tops it off with a little teaser of "Gotta Get Closer" and a little salsa number where he pulls two young ladies on stage to do a conga line with Maxwell and some of the band members! While doing the conga, the lead guy (not Maxwell, as he is sandwiched between to two sisters) leads the line off stage…
End Of Show…
Songs not performed include: DrownDeep Hula, EachHourEachSecondEachMinute, and Luxury:Cococure The feeling afterwards for me personally was surreal and one of incompletion...As if there is more to come! I dare not compare Maxwell's concerts (97 vs 99) except to say that they are different and that Maxwell left the Keepers in Houston Breathless and Wanting More...
