With a sold-out crowd at Chaifetz Arena Saturday night, Xscape is still basking in the whirlwind that ensued thanks to a reunion performance on The BET Awards this summer.
The group has been enjoying the success that they began chasing 25 years ago – and their fan base couldn’t be more appreciative.
Their moment in the spotlight during BET Awards marked the first time in nearly 20 years that all four members had graced the stage together. Even amidst all four making the most of the moment, the tensions that initially fractured the group seem to linger. None of that mattered Saturday night– nor was it noticeable. Fans got an opportunity to see the group come together for the greater good of their fans and musical legacy. The gesture won’t soon be forgotten.
Much has changed since the quartet of teen girls from Atlanta began their quest for stardom. The Atlanta music boom was still a few years away when they came on the scene in the early 1990s. Them getting the attention of the music industry back then was a success all its own. But the ambitious youngsters also managed connect with R&B fans, even despite the genre’s oversaturation of female groups as labels looked to create their own En Vogue carbon copy.
Xscape didn’t have the polish of an auditioned, arranged group – and that was part of their appeal. Though their harmonies were tight, their baggy clothes and bandanas were the antithesis of En Vogue’s signature pumps and black body dresses. They sang about “just kicking it.” They were the personification of LL Cool J’s lyrics in “Around The Way Girl.”
Saturday night, audiences were greeted by grown women intent on delivering an unforgettable Xscape experience that many never expected to see on stage again. Was it a perfect show? No, of course not. But it was pretty good. And it was great to be able to see them together again performing the music that was the soundtrack of 90s urban teen spirit.
Girls group June’s Diary opened The Great Xscape Tour. The group is the finale result of Kelly Rowland’s “Chasing Destiny” television show which chronicled her quest to make a group to repeat the success of Destiny’s Child. June’s Diary is off to a good start. The quintet of girls each have their own look and sound. They are stunning visually on stage and have the presence and cohesion to be taken more seriously than Diddy’s “Making of the Band” offspring Danity Kane.
Tamar Braxton followed June’s Diary and managed to deliver her strongest live performance in St. Louis to date. The chattiness and lip-smacking were kept to a minimum as she belted out a handful of hits.
Braxton is an impressive vocalist, and she seemed especially on point from the moment she twerked into “Sugar” until dramatically abrupt final high notes for “Love and War.”
An impromptu talent showcase that gave fans an opportunity to sing “Love and War” was entertaining at first, but ate up too much performance time. Among the featured was St. Louis’ own “American Idol” finalist Curtis Finch Jr.
Fellow ATL native Monica was charged with warming the audience for Xscape. Her vocals weren’t in their typical top form, but she powered through and the audience was pleased.
Monica made the smart move of relying heavily on her early material to keep with the chronology of the night. “Before You Walk Out My Life,” “Don’t Take It Personal,” “For You I Will,” “Why I Love You So Much” gave the crowd an opportunity to start off the nostalgia as they sang along.
An unexpected treat – and the highlight of the performance – was Monica’s brief tribute to Lauryn Hill which featured “Lost Ones” and “Killing Me Softly.”
Xscape emerged on stage with baggy jumpsuits similar to something they would have worn in the early 1990s. Opening with “Can’t Hang,” they transitioned from up-tempo to slow jam with their cover of “Who Can I Run To” before disrobing to show off more form fitting grown woman attire.
Vocally they were as good as ever – even better perhaps. But there were moments within the show that felt a bit contrived. The gospel tribute that featured cheap choir robes over their outfits was the worst of it. They sounded great with their covers of the Clark Sisters “Is My Living In Vain” and Erica Campbell’s “Luh God,” but the sequence of songs just didn’t transition well, and the robes were a distraction. Another misstep came on the opposite end of the spectrum when each of the ladies simulated their favorite moves in the bedroom.
Vocally, Xscape was in mint condition. Kandi Burruss and Tacha Scott took turns on lead for much of the show, but each of the four members were given the spotlight and they all rose to the occasion. Tameka “Tiny” Cottle elicited the most rousing ovation of them all during their performance of “Softest Place on Earth.”
The flow wasn’t seamless as far as transitions from one song or segment to the next, but overall the show was strong thanks to solid vocals and a trip back through their 90s heyday – which ended with their most endearing hit “Understanding.”
