[Slight Prince reference. Possibly anything by Jon Bream qualifies Anyhow, only tangentially related, so skip if you'd like... -Ben]

Alicia Keys plays Minneapolis newspaper review.
http://www.startribune.co...17496.html

Review: Alicia Keys outshines headliner Maxwell
Jon Bream
Star Tribune

Published Sep 27 2001
Every once in a great while an opening act generates more heat than a headliner. It's hard to imagine any popular music act hotter than Alicia Keys, who opened for R&B star Maxwell on Wednesday at the soldout Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis.

Keys' debut CD, "Songs in A Minor," entered the Billboard album chart at No. 1 in June and it has remained in the Top 5 ever since. She's already sold more than 2 million discs and scored a No. 1 single. And she was the only new face invited to perform last Friday in the widely-watched "Tribute to Heroes" telethon.

It was no surprise that Keys was greeted with a standing ovation when she walked onstage Wednesday at the Orpheum. And it was no surprise that she totaled five standing ovations during her 65-minute set. She was that impressive.

Her performance was far superior to her album. Her voice was more confident, richer and rangier. She sang with a depth of emotion that seemed far beyond her 20 years. The range of her musicality -- her electric piano defined every number -- was reassuring in an era of talentless video vixens who lip-synch. And she had a sense of drama and theatricality that the CD doesn't even hint at.

Between songs, while seated at her piano, she suddenly threw her fedora to the floor with a purpose. Then she tossed back a handful of long braids with an exaggerated glamourous flourish. After a quick breath, she started her hit "Fallin' " a cappella. It was a wonderful display of rock 'n' soul showmanship that was topped by her bravura vocals, as she swooped and swelled, trying to decide if she should stay with her man -- or leave him.

That earned her a standing-o, but it wasn't her most convincing vocal performance. That came earlier in the set on a version of Prince's "How Come You Don't Call Me." Before she sang the refrain, she paused dramatically, and then dragged out the final word "anymore" into a churchy melisma full of aches and pains. Prince has never made this song so soulful and deeply gospel. And Keys bested him in his hometown.

Her set had some weak moments: "Rock Wit U" was too Michael Jackson in sound and look, "Girlfriend" was too ordinary, and a solo piano rendition of "Someday We'll Be Free" lacked the poignancy and power of Donny Hathaway's original. Still, those shortcomings did not diminish the impact of Keys' performance. The lasting impression was that she has the potential, personality and the musicality to be a major, major artist.

Maxwell, the least macho and most likable R&B romeo of the last half-dozen years, was earthier this time around. It was a combination of his look (denim and leather instead of silky whites) and bottom-heavy sound mix (the drums and bass were often louder than his lovely falsetto). But he was still able to seduce the ladies with his sweet-talking lyrics, easy, undulating rhythms, inviting face and sexy dancing. Maxwell was steamy but, at this moment in time, Keys clearly generated more heat.