Neo Soul music and pristine showmanship were the vibe on Friday, September 27th, when two-time Grammy nominee Eric Roberson returned to the DMV for two performances at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA, to close out Harvest Month. After quickly selling out a Valentine's Day show earlier this year at the World Renowned Kennedy Center, Howard Grad Roberson made a welcome return to the area.
Before the show began, the audience was met with a tease of one of Roberson's new singles, "Things Meant For Me," reminiscent of a prime Earth, Wind & Fire. In a stylish off-grey suit, Erro took the stage promptly at 7:30 and started the evening with "Picture Perfect" from his 2014 album, "Mister Nice Guy." Roberson then returned the crowd to the early performing his debut single, "The Moon."
As a ballad fan, I appreciated how Mr. Roberson constructed his setlist. A one-two punch of the sensual bops "Mark On Me" and "Lyrics of Pleasure" effortlessly set the mood for every couple in attendance. Roberson then told a story about heartbreak from his college days, which transformed into a cover of Luther Vandross's version of "Superstar."
A particular highlight of the show was his performance of the song "You," which he released this past spring. A Motown-esque ballad, I could easily see David Ruffin or Dennis Edwards singing this song. Adding some extra oomph to the performance, Roberson handed the mic to a male attendee, allowing him to serenade his wife.
Given that Roberson has three decades in the music game, his musical catalog is vast. Thus, his medley, which included "Borrow You," "Dealing," "Just A Dream," and the iconic "Softest Lips," where he showed off his falsetto range, was met with adoration from the audience.
As the night began to wind down, Roberson did one of his signature concert motifs of making up a song on the spot. For this particular performance, the topic was a couple of meetings in Atlanta. Roberson closed the evening out with a performance of his signature song, "Lessons." The only falling of the show for me was the omission of "Head 2 Toe", "She," "Funny Feelings," and 'Weekend Getaway" from the setlist.
Nevertheless, Roberson continues to bring his A-Game to every performance, and I highly encourage you to attend his live show if you never have.
Final Grade: A
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