Since we’re friends, I can be honest and let y’all know that I couldn’t say I was the biggest Anita Baker ride or die – and didn’t see what all the fuss was about regarding her visit to St. Louis. Don’t get it twisted, I’ve always dug her voice. And I know every single word to the whole “Rapture” album, thanks to my mother’s preferred housecleaning playlist. I promise I smell lemon Pledge every single time I hear “Same Ole Love.” I even smelled it at The Fox on Saturday when Anita was singing. Truth be told, my mother went so hard with her Anita fandom that I think I accidently developed an aversion to Ms. Baker. Mama, but you really took it too far with the haircut, black dresses, shoulder pads and hand choreography from 1985-91. Sorry I didn’t say anything at the time, but we both know there would have been a different kind of hand choreography coming my way from you if I had. Now before y’all meet me on the parking lot with some hand choreography of your own, let me say that my feelings made a 360 after catching her live and in the flesh. Listen, Anita came through in an age-appropriate suede En Vogue “Hold On To Your Love” freakum dress and some cross-strap kitten heels and gave me my whole entire life! She had to have said to herself, “What outfit was I wearing when I last came to town in 1995? This is close enough!” She had me when she took her own sweet time and came out kick-ball-changing to “Lady Marmalade.” I knew she could skate because of the “Same Ole Love” video, but she can groove too! The band was off-the-chain (sorry for the elderly slang, but it feels appropriate), even though I would have loved to see a trumpet and trombone added for the full orchestra effect. Ray Chew and his crew killed it with the singular horn section. I was sad that she didn’t sing more songs, but still thrilled with her performance. I still don’t know how she thought it was okay to come back after all these years and not sing “Body And Soul” though. The Sunday crowd got “Angel.” We didn’t. I forgave her for all of that though, because of how she tore the stage down. Folks were saying that Sunday was a better show than Saturday, but aside from the set list length, I was completely satisfied. And I wasn’t by myself. Everybody and their mama (literally) was up in there in Anita overload. I saw people from all ages from elderly to fresh millennial and nobody could contain themselves as Anita brought them joy. I’m really hoping that she didn’t mean it when she named it the Farewell Tour, but we know Anita don’t have any problem hibernating. I mean, according to my fake age I was a toddler the last time she came to town. She gave us the best that she’s got – even if she didn’t sing the song with that title either – and I really hope she’s not serious with her claims that she’s giving us the last of it!
