Balladeer Maxwell Heats Up The Hollywood Bowl

 

Maxwell

By Darlene Donloe 

Los Angeles was already experiencing an unusually hot and humid night when Maxwell raised the temperature during his opening night (September 8) of a three-night run (September 9-10) at the Hollywood Bowl. 

He simply seduced the jam-packed audience with his drop-dead good looks, sexy moves across the stage, and sultry vocals that range from falsetto to a sensual growl. 

Donned in dark sunglasses, and a white suit with glistening mirrored panels, from start to finish, Maxwell and his four-piece band donned in black with a fantastic female singer (LaTina Webb), didn’t disappoint, opening the show with ‘Sumthin’ Sumthin,’ one of his hits from his debut 1996 CD ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.’ 

Sporting his signature 1996 curly fro, Maxwell quickly followed with ‘Dancewitme,’ from Urban Hang Suite, and ‘Lifetime’ and ‘Fortunate’ from his self-titled 1999 ‘Maxwell’ album.

Throughout the night, Maxwell thanked the crowd for his successful 27-year career.  He also thanked God, sympathy, and love.

“If I gave you my love, I’d expect a whole lot of love out of you,” Maxwell told the crowd before letting them know, “It’s about to get mature in here.” 

He didn’t lie.

The balladeer’s next offerings were ‘Bad Habits,’ ‘Stop the World,’ ‘Off,’ and Heatwave’s ‘Always and Forever.’

Maxwell is not only a class act and stimulating singer, even at 50, he can still glide across the stage. 

He then sang the 2009 crowd favorite, ‘Pretty Wings,’ off his BLACKsummers’night album. 

Maxwell, a Brooklyn native whose father was from Puerto Rico and mother from Haiti, then went on with ‘Fistful of Tears,’ ‘Lake By the Ocean,’ and ‘Get to Know Ya.’ 

On ‘Lake By the Ocean,’ Maxwell showed off his Caribbean roots, with his island dance moves – to the crowd's delight.

Then came the high-anticipated, wildly popular, ‘Ascension.’  The entire Bowl sang and danced in the aisles in abandon.

Maxwell then left the stage but returned in a shiny Black shirt over his white slacks and white shirt, to sing his scorching encore, ‘Whenever.’

It was a perfect way to end his grown folks’ set. 

Maxwell’s opening act was the personable Pink Sweats whose 30-minute set included ‘Icy,’ ‘7Teen,’ ‘Run Thru Fire,’ ‘Honesty,’ ‘Pink City’ and ‘At My Worst.’ Pink Sweats’ four-piece band, all dressed in pink sweats, was tight and his falsetto was on point. 

It was a sophisticated, satisfying night at the Bowl that ended with spectacular fireworks.