Trapped in a dismal setting, Musiq Soulchild and Chrisette Michele were merely very good. In an ideal environment, they could be transcendent.
Classic soul music poured from the stage of the Beaumont Club on Sunday. Yet less than half of the approximately 900 in attendance could properly see or hear the dynamic double bill of neo-soul artists. Most of the capacity crowd battled poor sound, challenging sight lines and uncomfortably tight quarters. And everyone, even the fortunate people with seats near the stage, had to cope with oppressive heat.
Frequent demands for refunds and inflamed exchanges between the club's staff and patrons made the stifling conditions even less agreeable.
"I don't want you to be mad at me," Musiq said as he addressed the difficult situation. "I'm trying to make this work."
And try he did. His 80-minute set offered authoritative approximations of his inspirations: Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Musiq's recordings incorporate hip-hop shadings into strong original material like "Love" and "Teach Me." Those contemporary styles were replaced by traditional gospel elements on Sunday night. He and his superb band could have been straight out of 1974.
"I can't wait to come back to a bigger venue," Musiq sighed as his set concluded.
Great music like his -- and the fans who love it -- deserve better.
Michele is one of the most promising new voices in recent years, so it was disappointing that her Kansas City debut was an absurdly brief 15 minutes. It didn't help that she was supported only by two singers and a backing tape. "If I Had My Way" managed to rise above the circumstances, showcasing a husky voice that lies somewhere between Billie Holiday and Mary J. Blige. The song she sang unaccompanied at a keyboard, however, was practically inaudible.
| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
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