Soul and gospel legend Al Green performed with mastery of message, song, and sound. As the Reverend arrived on stage, the band began singing and harmonizing as though they were answering the call. His tight set contained a run through of many of his ever-fresh standards, as well as a medley of songs paying tribute to greats like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. His commentary: "THIS was where we came from." In these frenetic moments, the crowd rose to their feet, dancing and singing along, shifting from side to side, or simply nodding their heads.
Setting the mood for the evening was the effervescent Liv Warfield, who specialized in belting out a fast-paced song before then slowing it down to a soft, mellow, reflective mood. Her command of the stage complemented her band's cocktail of energy: R&B and jazz with a twist of congo sound. To close, she gave us a message describing help for the worried today: If only we could rest in the peace of Al Green, our worries would drift far, far away.
