#Gladys knight concert review 2021 how to

Imparting a few amusing anecdotes of her own about her upbringing in Georgia, where family, community and church were all places of teaching for children in how to be respectful of others, Knight became quite animated, audience members sporadic cries of “Amen” and “Hallelujah” visibly bringing joy to the legendary songstress and creating an air of old school gospel into which her next tracks ‘Part Time Love’ and ‘I’ve Got to Use My Imagination’ fed so fluidly. With seventeen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, Knight certainly has a lot of love to give, her genuine desire to see the world become a better place, commendable. Pausing between numbers, Knight spoke of the need for love in this world, for kindness to be our first thought towards our fellow man and of shining a light on the dark things in life. Her inclusion of a bridge from the Luther Vandross number ‘Never Too Much’ during ‘Save the Overtime (For Me)’ that soon followed bringing smiles of delight and hands raised to the ceiling in praise, the prowess of musical director Leon Taylor on keys shining through. While making a name for herself in the heart of Motown, Knight has always had a command of music, certain contemporary numbers over the years catching the attention of her heart, lyrical content a defining factor for Knight for she has to believe in the words herself before she can make others believe to her own rendition of Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’ bringing with it a wealth of emotion, the audience gently swaying in time to her sumptuous vocals. While not the first performer to declare such feelings for their fans, there is a sincerity to her words that makes one truly feel appreciated Knight one of the few performers to appear in Auckland who has received a standing ovation before even uttering a single word. A self-declared people person, Knight emphatically declared her genuine love for every single person present, stating that without them she would not be where she is today. Her contralto vocals, just husky enough to give them the right amount of character filled the room with ease, early tracks such as ‘The Nitty Gritty’, ‘Every Beat of My Heart’ and (You’re The) Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me’ enthralling her devotees her hung on her every word. This fact immediately made evident to the sold-out Auckland audience as she opened the show, accompanied by her nine-piece band, with the classic Gladys Knight & the Pips track ‘Love Overboard’.Įver the consummate performer, Knight was the epitome of grace, dressed in black and shimmering gold, her smile still able to dazzle those in the very back row. Gladys Knight may now be seventy-five, her career which impressively spans over fifty years seeing the vocalist turn her hand to film, television, writing and business, all rather successfully, but it is in the arena of music and song that she continues to reign supreme. The Empress of Soul made her triumphant return to New Zealand last night after a twenty-year absence, the seven-time Grammy Award winner unequivocally proving that some things do indeed get better with age.

Gladys knight concert review 2021